X-men: Age of Apocalypse (ENGLISH version)
by WielkiDuchII
Summary: The 80's. The world of mutants and humans is shaken by a global conflict when an ancient mutant, Apocalypse, awakens and plans to take over the world. Xavier's X-men and Magneto' Brotherhood join forces against the Apocalypse army, the Acolytes and the devilish family of Nightcrawler... NO OC present :) Story still in active making, translated from Polish original.
1. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapters 1-4

**1**

A silent scream burst out of the mouth of Jean Grey when she suddenly opened her eyes wide. She could only heard her own voice in the mind, because nothing but a painful hoarse sigh could be heard in reality.

– Nightmares? – asked someone from a nearby chair. He was bent down, lacing up his shoe.

Instead of answering, Jean raised herself up on her elbows and tried to stabilize her breath. It seemed that what she just took for a dream was really recent past. For she could remember different scenes, all of them fragmentary and presumably scattered out of time order — just like when one futilely tries to remind pieces of a dream in the morning. The more she tried to recall something and match together scenes, which in the dream appeared realistic and logical, the greater panic seized her, when they turned out to be absurd and metaphysical after waking up.

She remembered that yesterday – though, who knows? – she was drinking wine in a fancy restaurant with this man. They were the only customers on the terrace; she remembered how illuminated fountains hummed down below, she recalled beautifully covered, but empty tables around, a long–stemmed glass and multitude of stars across the sky. Such sky is not to be seen near the cities... yes, and the breeze! It was close to a sea shore. And back then, like now, she knew him as her partner. But her heart was pierced with a terrifying fear that she cannot remember at all how she had met him and how long have they known each other. She missed so many other things too, as if her last few days have been written on a piece of paper that someone tore apart. Properly arranged memories started from about a few months ago: the memory of living in the X–mansion, as always... and her partner was obviously Scott, Cyclops. Even more, he was her husband. She has always loved him and she could not remember anything going wrong with their relationship. Yes – 'she could not remember'. What if she forgot everything she has done for a few months? What if she has done something horrible? She got scared about the fate of Scott.

She jumped out of bed and staggered, as it made her head a spin. A feeling of inner disharmony overcame her, like when one is about to faint or has not eaten for very long. She slipped her shoes on awkwardly, focused on overcoming that feeling in herself and regain balance. The floor was cold, made of smooth black stone. White streaks of its marbled pattern were hardly visible, however, it was not split into tiles nor there was anything else that could interfere with the smoothness of the surface. The entire interior was indeed decorated with equally exquisite minimalism combined with impeccable clarity. The only objects which were not furniture nor decoration, stood aligned or in symmetry with respect to something. It had to be a hotel suite, belonging to a lawyer, a military or a businessman. Or someone who were it all at once. It did not matter for Jean now. She sighed with relief when she finally found her strange feelings leaving her.

– What was I doing yesterday? – she asked calmly, although she needed a response a million other questions besides this one.

At least she was able to recall his name. It would be decent to know whose bed you have just got out of. Nils.

He laughed shortly.

– No one can be sure of that, birdy – he answered freely, endeared by Jean's confusion, while buttoning up his black well-ironed jacket. – One day after dinner you just stated all of a sudden that you wanted to drop by your home. So then you flew away with no further ado or mere packaging and only came back yesterday night, straight to bed. You must serve strong drinks there, in America, if you can't remember that.

– Everything in my head really mixes together into a wild mixture of images – replied Jean seriously and sought out the mirror with her eyes.

She took a look at herself as if she wanted to make sure whose reflection she is going to see there. She was dressed in a cream underwear: shorts and a blouse, because she disliked any more provocative cuts. Still, she felt somehow indecent and she instinctively set her chestnut red curls on her shoulders, so they could cover her cleavage at least a bit.

– I have a feeling that something bad has happened – she spoke finally, turning around to face Nils. – I need to urgently contact... somebody.

**2**

Charles Xavier tried to focus at least a part of his attention on the trees in the garden outside the window, at which he looked. Another days spent on research and searching through Cerebro, as well as the formulation of hypotheses and interpreting of the results with Beast until late at night began to affect his health. How annoying was the fact of having physical limitations of the body, while so many major events requiring immediate analysis and equally fast, accurate response built up at once.

This had him take into consideration that Apocalypse could really have returned. Incidents of armed attacks of various kinds seemed to have leaked from the regions of central Russia into more and more distant areas of Eurasia, in expanding circles. Assaults of forces heavily concentrated over small areas, carefully planned and under the best concealment affected as the population of mutants as of humans. Using their contacts and Cerebro, they had to formulate information about the majority of the events like detectives, out of single loose clues.

Concerning those of the events that the media were also aware of, statements varied greatly. One time the blame was laid on local feud, the other on terrorism, yet another time on growing aggression of the mutant race. However, the last week's events were clearly marking the beginning of a conflict. Now everything was to be explained.

The professor was looking at yet so familiar trees, their peaceful boughs and yellowing leaves, with anxiety; he tried to watch them once again, remember them as if they were soon to disappear. Everyday reality liked to spoil with the idea that his school, and most of all the students, the X-men, may always stay the way they have always been. Of course, there were easier and tougher moments, but the local scale problems they have encountered so far were every time possible to overcome. It remained unknown whether what is coming now will not jeopardize their 'family' more than anything so far, if they were to stand up against mutant and human armies from around the world. For now, it was never bad as long as the risks concerned just them and not the stability of global politics. Besides, in case of any army the principles of X-men on avoidance of killing would be out of the question. The only thing left they could do is to prepare themselves well.

Fortunately, a sound of the door handle just pushed turned the professor's attention away from thinking about the future for w while. Usually, when Xavier convened a tactical meeting, Wolverine were to appear last, all ragged after freshly suspended session in the Danger Room, or calmly smoking his cigar, with which he liked to make his entrance with an opportunity for a cynical joke. This time, however, it was he who came first, without the cigar and without uttering a word. He did not not even try, as he would fail anyway, to conceal his worry with the sudden disappearance of Jean Grey without a trace and on every meeting he hoped for the professor to throw a little bit of light on this matter, so he could act. For a similar reason, Cyclops were not here now. Him, who in turn invariably used to show up at the meetings first, as if he grew out in the right room already at the same time, at which the professor established a date and place.

Storm had not seen him since this morning, which is why she was late for the meeting as well, taking a peek into different rooms in search of him. She expected that he needs particular support now that his beloved was missing. Especially due to the fact that the meeting was to be directed only to the nearest group of Professor X-Men, it had to address the matters of highest level. Scott probably did not want to hear of something disturbing about the disappearance of Jean in there, so he could keep hoping that his fears were just a product of his own imagination. Ororo had already passed by Rogue and Gambit in the hallway, heading in the opposite direction, to Professor Xavier's office. With a gaze from above the book cover, Nightcrawler followed her walking by, refraining from the questions well up in his mouth about what is it that the professor thinks and how to interpret the latest TV news.

– What's wrong? – Storm heard the distinctive voice behind when she passed the door to the dining room.

– Morph? – she guessed, even before she turned in his direction – Nothing really terrible – she said with a faint smile, feeling as if she have lied. – I am just looking for Scott, the meeting is about to start in a moment...

Morph, like Nightcrawler and other younger – as to age or experience – X-men were not to participate in the meeting. He was, you can honestly say, an unlucky boy. Unsure of himself, he felt best in the forms of others, which he could take due to his mutant ability. Morph was no good during field operations of the X-Men and still something new of the most unfortunate kept happening to him. Storm have noticed before that he liked her, but she knew for sure it could not be; that it is rather the natural peace and stability she had was what he was looking for.

– Is there a way I could help you? – a spark lit in his eyes, but at the same time she could hear him saying this, Storm remembered what sometimes resulted from saying yes to a similar offer (installation of a new window and service of Wolwerine's bike included) and replied sweetly:

– Thank you, that's very nice of you. But I'm sure that I find Scott at any moment, he must be somewhere nearby, since I have already checked most of the rooms. Do not worry, once I tell you what we talked about. I am curious myself to see what is behind this monstrous attack – she took a loud breath to highlight more clearly the change of subject – but I've heard that Jubilee plans today to prepare dinner for everyone. She said it will be something special. I AM SURE THAT SHE COULD USE A HAND – articulated Storm casually while stretching slightly her neck up so that Jubilee could hear it through the open kitchen door nearby. Once Morph instinctively glanced into the kitchen and Jubilee also drew attention to them, Storm winked at the girl behind him. A moments later she departed calling them a 'see you soon'.

– What's inside?

Even before Jubilee had the time to put down what she was holding, she heard a clink. She looked to the side – Morph were clinging to a jar of pickled peppers. Finally, he pushed it away, far from the edge of the counter top and cleared his throat.

– So, what is it that we're going to cook?

– Sweet and sour chicken. But! – Jubilee swung a still dry ladle in the air, ready for action. – No jars and ready-mades. I'll show you all what a real sauce is. Besides – she put her hands on her hips – buying ready-made sauce for all mouths present today would dry my pocket money out.

In view of the above, Morph approached a bag of rice instead portioned foil packets.

– It's been a while since there were so many of us together, right? – he added.

– Professor's probably brewing something – said Jubilee recklessly, replacing smaller pots sideways to get to the biggest of them, in which all the others were usually kept.

– He may rather have a reason to worry – corrected her Morph, who would never dare to use a colloquial phrase even in a conversation about Professor Xavier. – Him and Beast are investigating something all the time. So far they didn't mention what is really going on.

– But he would never drag all of the available teams into the X-Mansion, if it had nothing to do with this explosion from a couple of days ago – interjected the girl. – You will boil the rice, okay? It's easy. Count as much as you would take times the number of people. You will need to divide into a few pots. There are those with a double bottom. About a teaspoon of salt per kilo.

The girl in a cloak as yellow as pineapple slices she was cutting into little triangles, with her sleeves rolled up, moved almost as she were dancing. One could speculate whether Jubilee leads a culinary program, or records a video clip. Vegetables flew one by one across the kitchen, while she instructed Morph and supervised bubbling dishes. For what kind of action, she wondered, may the Professor be getting ready, so that he has invited the entire X-army over? For now, the question remains how to feed it today.

**3**

Although it has been a while since the bomb explosions ceased, crackling of fire-consumed piers supporting beams and island homes, as well as distant minor explosions, where fire encountered tanks with flammable substances did not allow Blink to stop running. From the north-east the sky was obscured by a giant, metal-gray object. From here, is looked as if the moon had settled down on the banks of Genosha. This huge, slowly drifting air monster showed up shortly after the v-formations of the enemy aircraft have disappeared from the sky. The young girl with pink skin and elf-like features now ran along a beach covered with amber rays of the sun, browning before one's eyes, gradually giving way to twilight. In the sea just outside the shallows she could see seaplane units of the Apocalypse rocking on the waves, as well as fragments of what was left of Genoshan cruisers. The island was not a small one, but its cities were so overgrown on the entire surface, that the land could nearly sink under them and there was no chance of landing larger machines; perhaps after the successful attack they rebounded to Madakaskar.

Right in front of herself Blink opened a gate of pink light spinning in the air with a whistling sound and jumped inside vehemently, disappearing from the beach as soon as possible. On the other side it was now the center of the capital, empty stores. As soon as she caught her breath, she jumped through another door she created before her. She jumped out the other side in panic, being already on the streets of the suburbs. Until now, she rarely used her portals, as mutant power has awakened in her only two years ago, but now there was something ghostly about it.

She knew that if she properly focused her power, she could move up to a few hundred kilometers from here, but not only she was unable to calm down enough, but she could barely catch her breath after the previous jumps. In those few seconds during which she traveled between the ends of the teleport gate something seemed to pull her back, which tightened the pressure in her lungs. She stopped, leaning on her knees and soothed her breath again.

The city around her was not damaged, in contrast to the coast and other defensive points. Deserted streets confirmed the fact that everyone were moved to the air-raid shelters, or rather to the residential units, which in the case of Genosha were rough cell cabins back from the times of mutant labor camps. Another thing was, of what Blink was aware, that this part has been captured by the forces of Apocalypse and filled up, so that all citizens of the island were withheld. The trick succeeded primarily because of the desertion of a part of Genosha's own army, the Acolytes. The girl was heavy-hearted with the pain that this group, considered the most faithful to Magneto, the country's leader, have turned against him. This day, she could hear the leader's defense instructions by the radio, but it all somehow got lost in between explosions, and before she even realized, the Acolytes took over instead of him, just to hand the power over to the invaders a while later. The presence of Magneto dissolved and the young Genoshan did not know what to think of him – whether he had been murdered, has fled cowardly, or is preparing a counter-attack? She knew him as a ruler who has built this nation and would not give them for the world aggressors. Or maybe she was wrong all this time?

Certainly not. She raised her head with verve, gaining new strength. She decided to go on a long journey to the interior of the residential sector. From there she will be able to help the captives and create resistance. They will do what Magneto would expect them to. She set her teeth and jumped into a new pink portal. She felt again, but very strongly this time, a change in pressure throughout her body. She managed to note is that instead of the known bright rays a complete darkness flashed around, just a tiny moment before she fell on the other side of the dimensional tunnel. With much force, she hit firm sand with her jaw and scratched her elbows on the stones of a path. She coughed from the dust, rising unsteadily on her hands and rubbed her eyes. She was now on the extra-urban road, surrounded by cliffs high above the sea level. It had to be one of the headlands of Genosha or rocky islets surrounding it.

– There she is. She was finally tempted to teleport further – heard Blink from behind her.

She turned on her knees and twitched. She had a military squad in front of her, some of them armed to the teeth, in the familiar purple and red Acolytes uniforms. And behind them, on the following plans a slender silhouette of small personal aircraft, airplanes, aircraft carriers and cruisers and finally the colossal gray fortress of the enemy. At that moment, she was in no mood for counting stripes on the uniforms, but it did not take a genius to notice senior officers among them. Among them, there were those known to her from television and public appearances – red villain, Fabian Cortez, leader of the Acolytes, then Delgado, this blonde, the other Cortez... and in before of them a black monster, something like a bright yellow skeleton surrounded by a body spectrum of ink-black coating. This thing spoke to them.

– Take her and be done with it. Who did we have next on the list?

It slowly came to Blinkt that it means her. She stared at jaws full of long sharp teeth, from behind which a voice was coming out, despite the lack of lips or even correlated movements of the lower jaw. A blue tongue was also sticking out of nowhere, as if there was no body at all to which it would be attached, same with the narrow blue eyes.

– You won't take me without a fight! – she cried hoarsely, springing on her feet. Perhaps only today's panic could provide her with such courage. – You sure you're one of Apocalypse's monsters. And you, you...! How dare you betray Genosha when you were to defend it!

– Uh-oh, a rebellious youngster. Whatever shall we do? – the black individual who was called Abyss, spread his hands and looked knowingly at Cortez.

As a Horseman of the Apocalypse he could only think of this as a funny situation, because was it not funny to have to personally assist in a field action?

Cortez turned out to actually be as unapproachable as he seemed on television screen.

– You do not understand – he growled, giving Blink a withering glance – we do what is best for Genosha, releasing it from the yoke of Magneto and opening it to the world. He tried to force everyone to believe in his own rules and kept impeded the development of the island by cutting off human contact. There is no point to struggle, you are going with us, just like the others before you.

– It is you who does not understand! Apocalypse had BOMBARDED the island! He destroyed what we have been building for...

Although since he pulled Blink out of the middle of her teleport journey he did not wish to be looking at her, Abyss had enough of this scene. He held out towards the girl his hand, which extended like a spring.

– Hush, baby. You introduce a tense atmosphere for no reason.

He grabbed her head from behind, but his fingers had to go somehow through it, because they bent towards her face from the bottom. Those were not human hands, Blink did not feel the presence of joints or nails; they were only human-like long claws. He pulled her towards himself and looked her up and down.

– Do not think you are even a tiny bit important. We check everyone. Cortez, take her hair, or a liver swab, whatever you want, just so that I am not seeing her any more. She works on my nerves.

A cold shiver penetrated Blink when the hand was letting her go by passing through her neck. In the meantime, Cortez gave a command gesture and a member of the guard, a swarthy martinet with a permanent expression of determination on her face, knelt near to the pink-skinned mutant. She pulled out a tuft out of her hair, then expertly put the sample in the appropriate compartment of some kind of briefcase and returned to her place in the line without a single word.

– Have all the problematic ones dealt with by three o'clock, general – said Abyss, though his mind was already on subsequent tasks. – I will be seeing you in the adapted government complex after the landing.

**4**

– Cough – cough! Magneto said WHAT? He would really say something like that? – burst out surprised Shadowcat, not noticing that she involuntarily phased her fork through the table surface and that it rang on contact with the floor.

– And I thought you're chokin' for the same reason I am – Gambit replied with a sneer.

Truly, the first thing you did when you raised up your bowl with the dish Jubilee and Morph made, was an involuntary snort. Someone was generous when adding vinegar to the sauce.

– Indeed, this came as a surprise to us as well – said Storm gently as always. – But yes, Magneto made us an offer of cooperation. We can name it a call for help if it sounds better to you.

– I realize that what I am asking you do may seem strange or inconsistent with respect to our past relationship with Magneto's Brotherhood – added Professor Xavier. – However, I rely on you in the fulfillment of this request, even if it might feel uneasy at the beginning. The situation is unique and there is nothing else to do than to put aside superficial likes and dislikes. Certainly you too feel that Magneto would not address us if he was not forced to.

Xavier paused and looked at the faces of those of the X -Men, who were not on the detailed meeting an hour ago. Among them, Colossus and Iceman nodded, but Angel sat rigidly in place, knowing already what his task will be.

– You need to know that the tragic energy explosion in Albany, which had completely devastated the town, had marked the beginning of a war – continued the professor. – It turned out that Apocalypse has awakened and created an army, which now threatens people and mutants alike. Lorna, the youngest daughter of Magneto, who is best known to you under the name of Polaris, was kidnapped, and it was then when our former rival first turned to me for help. Now Apocalypse had also claimed Genosha. We do not believe, to add to it, that all of this would not have anything to do with the recent disappearance of Jean. That is why we are going to join Magneto in the Savage Land, and agree on a common plan. At the same time Angel will go to Genosha as our scout, coordinated remotely by Forge. Some of us must remain here at the Institute, in order to take care of our younger recruits and Cerebro. Beast will lead the search for Jean from here and collect any useful information. For the leader of the staying group I have chosen Gambit.

The latter did not fail to make an important face from behind his bowl of rice.

– Psylocke is on the way, she will be helping you with the use of Cerebro for the time of my absence – finished Xavier.

The next morning, all of the selected X-men were ready to depart to Antarctica, but not all of them could be sure what are the professor's plans for them and whether he had really told them everything...


	2. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapters 5-6

**5**

It has really been a very long day for Anne-Marie Cortez. After yesterday's field operations, a whole day of chasing rebel citizens of the island and packing them in a categorized cells could exhaust all strength of even a woman like her. The bed seemed now softer to her than ever, so beautiful and tempting that she thrown herself onto her duvet with great relief.

However, it was not as easy to fall asleep bearing in mind that the majority of her new nation honestly hates her at the moment. Despite originating from Spain, she has long felt Genoshan. Even her noble family1 has been touched by the anti-mutant movement; their family reported her and her brother to a mutant inspection agency and they were both deported to Genosha. Back in those times, it was still a country which based its economic strength on exploitation of mutants in labor camps and scientific experiments. The freckled teen has grown into a strong and resilient woman and when Magneto attacked Genosha to free her mutant slaves, she became one of his closest aides. At this time, she could get rid of attachment to the country which disowned her and joined the newly created community of the great liberator of mutants. Anne– Marie and her companions from the former camp were a very specific group of people capable of radical and risky action for the cause, which is why it was not easy for them now to act against Magneto, who used to represent it.

Fabian said it would be better to Genosha, that it would not make sense to follow someone out of habit, but to keep switching sides to always be on the right one. Anne-Marie stayed by his side constantly, even though she was unconvinced whether the country should be passed over to Apocalypse. Her older brother was a difficult person – hard to approach and so rarely liked. However, she admired him for his love of life, consistent action here and now without getting stuck in the past or daydreaming of the future. When everything around was changing – getting built and falling apart – he remained, so she stood by him. To the extent that, because they were not very physically similar to each other, they were more often considered a married couple rather than siblings as an explanation for their common surname.

She was thinking of him when she kept tossing and turning. Behind the open window there was dead silence, the only background noise was made by a roof ventilation estuary, which buzzed in the distance. The governmental complex, where she had her room now was located in the center of the capital.2 Streets brightly lit as usual were completely empty, all the inhabitants were closed together in the 'cells' of their own homes, which is why the luminous glow that could be seen outside of the artificial horizon of ugly futuristic buildings of the administrative complex could not be associated by Anne-Marie with a center of fun, something positive. Instead, like sometimes before she happened to envy those frequenting restaurant or a sea bathing at night, she enjoyed today being on this side of the wall.

It seemed to her that she recognises each plate of this building. All of them were erected cheaply, according to a single project, at construction of a few of which she had worked herself. She wondered as to how she can help Fabian with the hate that has fallen on him from the Genoshans. She closed her eyes finally.

Not even five minutes had passed, and Anne-Marie jumped up alarmed when something shot right next to her window. However, she could not see anything through it from her current position. Most likely this was a short series of missiles passing over the roof. There was a thump just above her head, and immediately after, a crack of snapping breaking elements. Chunks of plaster and poorly fabricated panels dropped on her duvet, and something much bigger along with them.

– Don't move! – she snapped immediately, very militarily.

– Ugh, I think I could not move anyway...

What fell into her bed was a man. The first glance allowed her only to determine that he was blond, because all of her attention was overtaken by his wings – wide white feathery wings. He folded one of them up alongside his body, the other has apparently refused to obey him, because it bent unnaturally and would not straighten up.

Anne-Marie led by refined instincts had her hand dive under the pillow, in order to grab soon as possible her handy night gun 'just in case', without which never went to sleep, no matter where she were. But this time she had felt with horror that her hand moves only on the top of a smooth bedheet.

– No! – she cried in surprise.

She forgot to prepare it! Never before had she allowed such oversight to herself.

– Please, take it easy! I'm sorry that I dropped in like that without a notice, but I had no choice – said the stranger in explanation, withdrawing back as far as possible, as soon as he realized the situation after his fall.

He tried to be nice, because Anne-Marie did not seem amused at all. To be honest, he would probably prefer her to have a gun to cluning to his forehead, at least he would know what to expect, because now that she have not found what she was looking for, she stared at the intruder like a panther lurking to pounce.

Indeed, Anne-Marie quickly came to her senses and as plan B she was going to use one of her favorite moves and hit the winged guy's jaw with her elbow. However, her second thought was that she did not necessarily want to do that. She looked at the stranger from the sky once more and found that the trick would useful if it was an awful thug who fell inside... but it was not the case. She relaxed the ready elbow and just leaned on her hands on her sides.

– Better tell me just who do you think you are – she said suspiciously.

– My name is Warren – he said, putting on one of his cheerful smiles, which he had learnt for use in diplomatic and trade relations. Typically it worked pretty well on women as well. – I had a look around a bit, but apparently one of your turrets took me on sight.

– Spy – murmured Cortez with discontent and tried to get angry at him.

However, she recalled the times long ago, when Fabian climbed up to her room at the boarding school for girls at night through a window. She thought back then, why sometimes could it not be someone else who jumps in, who does not happen to be her brother, so that she too could to squeak and giggle like other teenage girls. But now she was a big girl, a lieutenant, who was well above squeaking. Warren felt that his head is turning violently to the side without his control head. Anne-Marie was a bit of a telepath, and though she could not read human thoughts, she could influence them and so she made him look into her eyes no more in the place where she does not have any.

At the same time someone kicked the door open, hard enough for it to slam loudly against the wall. Another woman jumped into the room, wearing pajamas only, but in turn wielding a huge firearms in both hands.

– Hands up! – she shouted at Angel.

The light from the hallway shined on her from behind, so he could not see her exactly, but the body shape itself could infer that who is aiming at him was a buxom, full-figured Spanish. At least he did not mind this particular mission assigned to him by professor Xavier. Fortunately, he had already succeeded at transferring to the X-mansion base everything he learned about the Horsemen of Apocalypse and the state of affairs on the island.

The women of Acolytes exchanged a few short sentences in Spanish with each other, from which Warren concluded only that it was rather formal. Immediately afterwards the newcomer, or Carmella Unuscione, put the gun down and reached out towards the X-men with her right hand, around which a green outline was created. The green field rapidly increased and caught him in a transparent fist, then lifted him above the floor. After that, Anne-Marie focused and all he managed to see was just how she makes a gesture with her hand, before he lost consciousness from a mental wave she sent to him.

6

– I have a signal from Grey! – shouted Psylocke down the hall, running in the direction of Cerebro.

As soon she got near the equipment, she quickly put the …... helmet on her head. Her standard mental powers were not good enough to obtain a clear telepatic message without the support Cerebro. What is more, only highly trained telepaths like professor Xavier could read messages from a distance in terms of well-specified sentences.

"This is the X-Mansion, I can hear you" – thought Psylocke, focusing on the person of Jean Grey.

Her training as for how to use Cerebro had proceeded in an atmosphere of haste, but she was determined to do her job well. For some time she was not obtaining any response signal, but the last few days spent in careful monitoring of all mental signals, which could be a message from lost Jean have made her patient. During this time Beast and Gambit had already reached the Cerebro chamber, someone else was approaching the hall as well, but she did not pay any attention to them.

"Jean... Jean Grey here... I... " – the incoming signal was so weak and fragmented that Psylocke frowned with effort to catch anything. "... I'm here... I'm on Genosha. I have to go back... "

– She's on Genosha. – she spoke aloud to those who were present. – " We'll send someone after you. Angel is now on the island, try to find him, and we will direct him from our side" – she told Jean in her thoughts.

"Angel? He did not... is not... " – and the message was interrupted.

Elizabeth waited for a while, but the message seemed to have finished for good. She took the helmet off and stared ahead.

– Is she all right? – Beast asked finally, as the silence persisted.

The telepath awoke from her thoughts and put the equipment in its place with due care.

– Yes, apparently. But I have not learned anything more – she answered coldly, folding her arms. – I've offered her to join Angel, but she replied that " Angel is not", whatever that means.

In the background, behind Beast's back, Jubilee and Morph did not dare to step over the threshold of the chamber Cerebro, but craned their necks anyway trying to see something from the hallway.

– I will contact the professor immediately – said Beast, delighted inside that they finally stumbled across some trace of Jean. Fortunately, he could now relax that his recent fears for her life did not come true. – He will now be able to track her more accurately and make contact.

– We'll find out about Warren – Gambit said, noticing Elizabeth's eyes cast down.

Angel was sent to spy Apocalypse, but reports directly to Professor seemed, so they are here, remaining in the X – Mansion did not have access to current information about it. Remy knew enough that Psylocke and Angel were related in a way not officially stated.

– Well. As if I care – she grumbled, getting up and walking away with her head up proudly.

Exactly. Emotions by Psylocke. He nodded with a teasing smile when he watched her leave and Beast shrugged his shoulders helplessly. They did not manage to develop a more intimate contact with the telepath, because she never stayed permanently with the X-men and rather joined them only on certain missions. They knew her mainly as a tough, stubborn woman with a perverse nature. It should also be mentioned that as an athletic former model has not suffered from a lack of admirers3 and it taught her a unique reserve about men. Apparently, she felt that it was not proper to show interest in Angel in a normal way, which is why it was him whom she most sharply criticized, and whom she mentioned last during conversations. But Gambit knew women too well known to fall for it.

As you might expect then, Psylocke was not among the company, when Beast has made a connection with Xavier in the Savage Land. The more she would like to find out what happened to Angel, the more embarrassing was it for her to ask.

– Do not worry that you have lost contact with Jean – said professor Xavier on the other side, watching Gambit and Beast in the War Room at a few of joint screens. – Most importantly, she is now reachable once again and we now know she is on Genosha. It should have no problem locating her more precisely to communicate telepathically. Is Psylocke there with you?

– She had to leave – responded Gambit form the screen with a perverse smile.

– Send her then, please, my thanks – Xavier continued. – She accomplished well an important task today.

– Professor, Jean has supposedly mentioned Angel in her transmission – interrupted Beast after a moment of silence. – Do you happen to know how is the progress of his mission and whether we can see if anything has happened to him?

The professor nodded, even though on their side, the recipients at the X– mansion had to infer it from gestures on the image, because at this point the speakers, as every moment, hummed with a nasty distortion. Dilapidated equipment, available to Xavier and Magneto in the Avalon, Savage Land, was troubling them with its worn-out state.

– ...report already. It is possible that he encountered difficulties – spoke the professor's voice when the equipment has decided to regain functionality after a few seconds. – His last message is dated last night, the one thirty AM. We will form a group which arrives on Genosha tomorrow and will be able to assist him in case of trouble...

Throughout the duration of the call Magneto was by Xavier's side and from the second ground he was exchanging distrustful looks through the screen with Gambit. The fact that their groups worked together was neither natural nor easy to accept.

Despite many years of friendship, Charles and Erik would never work together not only for the sake of differences of opinion on how they the relationship between humans and mutants should look like, but also because they were both dominating personalities in their own way. When they met as friends it did not matter, but now it was unclear who would be the boss. On the one hand, it is who Magneto participated in the actions field and was not limited by the reluctance to violence, unlike Xavier. On the other hand, he was now the defeated, a captain, who had escaped from a sinking ship of the perfect – as considered so far – fortress, Genosha. Previously, it did not even occur to him that someone would be able to break through his defenses. He could not, however, provide that the ancient mutant Apocalypse awakens to once again wreak havoc and will choose particularly his territory as his first aim. You had him admit that he has made the right choice by using the element of surprise to attack one of the potentially most dangerous locations on the planet.

When Charles finished the teleconference, Magneto was arranging in his mind an action plan they have been formulating together since yesterday, since Angel sent them the first inside information about Apocalypse. Now he was only to give his team orders. His former fortress Avalon, surrounded by deep jungle, crooked roofs of which were now over their heads, was devoid of technological comforts, which he could otherwise use to call over his subordinates of the Brotherhood. This time, however, all that remained for him was an ordinary staircase, which he took and began to go down.

Apocalypse had his four Horsemen... yes, it was quite in his style to refer to the sublime content. Probably he would have preferred to stay with the four major combatants, even if from the tactical point of view he would need, for example, six of them... – Magneto thought of him with bitter malice of the vanquished. Maybe it was because it seemed to Apocalypse that he is part of in some other, higher class, that it was hard to fight him. He lived so long that he thought of himself in divine terms already, and to add to that, he watched the world for so many years that he abhorred its imperfection. Apocalypse loved ritual significance and so he only wanted to see his strict views on the survival of the fittest dressed in symbolism and mysticism. And now with the help of an army, he wanted to impose on the world that the inevitability of what he stood for., in which he firmly believed.

Magneto himself considered that not everyone deserved be equal treatment, but he never intended to cause a deadly selection like the one of which his family where once victim. He was not afraid to use violence, but his goal was always to separate himself and to achieve long-term peace. Apokalipse in turn did not focus on any specific individuals or groups – not for them to survive, nor to die out. He demanded an idealized reality composed only of what is the best and that would be the one he would like to rule. Although much is said about people striving for perfection, perfection is not of this world, common perfection even so, which is why improving of everything on Earth was such a twisted idea. The situation had become serious, because now the loon, Apocalypse, had actually his official country. Not to mention that it was due to the help of Magneto's own apprentices.

Sound of the footsteps of the former creator of Avalon carried inside it for a long time. It was because a few floors separated Magneto from the correct one. This peculiar acoustics seemed odd, as the room was not big, but empty. At various levels of the tower-like fortress there were now members of the Brotherhood of Mutants and X-Men loitering, trying to avoid each other. In case of accidental meeting they taunted each other. A few of these comments in the distance have reached the ears of Erik, but when he came out from behind a series of metal containers and became visible, everything went quiet obviously.

A few meters in front of him Juggernaut was sitting on the floor, surrounded by boxes, and occasionally sipping a beer in one gulp, because at his size seemed to be just the size of a shot of vodka. Next to him, on an upside-down plastic container Avalanche was sitting, slowly and carefully crushing his neighbour's empty cans in his hands. At his feet there was a small collection of aluminum wheels of identically pressed cans.

– You will return to Genosha – Magneto told him briefly. – The tactical meeting will start in half an hour in the main hall.

The subordinate nodded to let him know he got it, although Magneto was no longer interested. He headed now towards a floor down below, to meet with Wanda. He kept finding pretexts to be seeing her more often than usual or have even better to constantly keep an eye on her. Since Polaris had disappeared and a moment later fleeing from Genosha he had to leave Quicksilver on the island, he wanted to stay ensured that at least her, the closest one to him among the siblings, will be near.

Avalanche gladly left Juggernaut with his beer. Talking to was completely uneasy, or rather the latter finally got offended and stopped talking to himself. Avalanche was accustomed to the company of Pyro and Blob, who practically did not know the beauty of golden silence. At listening to their stories and better or worse jokes he passed most of the recent years. Without this live background he now felt a little emptyness, until he noticed that indeed he rarely speaks.

He felt strange about the fact that he was chosen for the mission. With them in the group there was neither Mystique, who was always sent in the first place, nor Quicksilver, whom Magneto used to select as the most qualified, nor Blob and Pyro, with whom he always went when he was involved in some action. Absence of Mystique was actually everyday life, since not only she preferred to perform her task alone, but she had always had a number of personal affairs on the side, because of which she was also disappearing.

However, Avalanche mostly missed his best buddies; following the orders of Magneto, he did not return for Blob when fleeing from the island and left him somewhere in residential areas Genosha, and in turn Pyro had left both of them about a week earlier. It was then when he started to ride around in his new orange Porsche, of which the worst was that he absolutely forbid to touch it, let alone riding it. Probably, he would not discover this wonder to them at all, if not for his desire to impress Wanda, therefore, he was appearing at random moments when she happened to walk outside of the Brotherhood headquarters. And then he had disappeared completely, not having any more time for cards and darts with the dull Avalanche without any Porsche. Therefore, even during the attack on the city it was Pyro who got a bomb dropped on his head, it would be unknown to the Brotherhood anyway.

– Dominikos, hey!

Avalanche stopped. Woke up suddenly from his meditations on the sight of the girl, he had the urge to explain in his defense right away why he did not have a new car yet. Soon, however, he returned on this world; she was the only one who would try to accentuate his name properly.4

– Was it right? My Greek is still crappy – continued Shadowcat, when she did not hear any reply. – I can't believe we're going together! They've chosen us out of everyone. Maybe Scarlet Witch messed with the probability? Colossus is going too.

– I so happy about it – murmured Avalanche squinting with reluctance on Colossus, who grew high above Kitty's shoulder.

The girl was not going to stay on the stairs in between her former and current boyfriend. She made them move on together to the main hall and led the way.

Maybe it was the delicate makeup, or perhaps the general features that Kitty has always seemed much younger than she really was. Still, even without it she would look now like a petite girl with pony tails among two bears – a pale polar bear and silver-armored baribal.5 Whenever she described her type to her friends she began with the word 'big'. While Jean liked leaders, Amara stars and Rogue all peculiar cases, Kitty wanted the one who could rip an oak from the ground with one hand for her (though moving a mountain or passing through a building without caring about the walls was just as good!) and at the same time would be a shy teddy bear, in whose fur she could hide. This did not mean she was seeking for a defender, on the contrary, she was resourceful and confident.

At the main floor they met Wolverine. He was clearly excited; he was going to sit, but instead he was walking in circles with his claws out. Shadowcat interrupted the conversation with her companions as she saw him and joined him. Not urged to engage in a dull conventional conversation or a monologue towards Avalanche, Colossus pretended he felt invited and followed the girl.

Dominikos staying behind looked him up and down to see whether he is somehow unworthy of Kitty – unintelligent or violent. Fortunately, no. Or maybe it would be better otherwise, because then Avalanche could 'save' her and get her back for himself? Maybe he was not educated, but not socially stupid. What did not work one time, could not work another, that way he could only lose the friendship of the only nice X-girl.

He backed up against the wall and stood there listening to them exchanging news about the contact from this Grey woman so important to them, who was supposed to join them on the spot on Genosha. It seemed strange that the toughest guy, feared the most by the Brotherhood cares about a missy, who has already chosen his rival for her husband long time ago. It must be true, apparently, that there is something inside of everyone, even of such an archetype like Wolverine.

Avalanche's attention was driven away from this disappointment when the X-men's professor and Magneto arrived in the company of their fixed pets: Cyclops and Wanda. The professor guy drove into the middle, using telekinesis to carry with him some equipment on short stubby legs; he set it up and began to maneuver the controls until a laser projection depicting the Earth appeared the air. Before the two leaders were ready to conduct the briefing, Avalanche stopped to look at the apparatus, about the way of working of which he had no idea.

– Can I ask the princess for a word? – he asked the surprised Scarlet Witch, who was too charmed by the fact that Colossus standing on the other side of the laser model smiled in response to her blink,6 to notice someone coming from behind.

– Sure – she said, taking her hands involuntarily closer to herself not to touch him by accident.

Unspoken convention within the Brotherhood assumed that none of those lower in the hierarchy will speak to her family first. Quicksilver was to manage the team's brutes, but Wanda did not mind leaving the Avalanche a few steps to the side.

– Is anything wrong?

– That, I'm not sure – he whispered, the subtly made–up face of Wanda reflected in the glass visor of his helmet. – I just wish that what is to happen by chance would stay accidental. So that something that would trouble Kitty happens by accident. With my participation, for example.

Scarlet Witch looked at him for a moment with big eyes in surprise, very aesthetic, like all her facial expressions. After a moment she said in a low voice:

– Of course. I do not know what you meant.

* * *

1 It is written about Cortez that he belonged to a spanish royal family.

2 The capital city, just like the island, are both called 'Genosha'. That is why in the text it means once this, once the other.

3 Psylocke has been mentioned as one of the most liked female X-men characters by the fans. I admit, those legendary legs...

4 This story's Avalanche is composed from his versions in 'X-men Evolution' and 'Wolverine & the X-men'. According to the cannon, he is greek and his name is Dominikos (Δομήνικος), by which nobody calls him, except for Kitty. As a Brotherhood terrorist he has a false identity, according to which his name was Lance.

5 American black bear.

6 In X-men Legends II there was a motif of a flirt between Scarlet Witch and Colossus.


	3. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapters 7-9

**7**

– Prepare for the course on Kenya – ordered Holocaust, closing the meeting.

His highest officer saluted eagerly, then he left the room with the rest of the soldiers as soon as possible. Blood seemed to congeal in their veins every time they raised their eyes to this Horseman of Apocalypse. They absolutely did not associate them with a person, he was like a concept or some intangible force that epitome of which was a huge humanoid armor.

Orange inorganic surface emitted yellow light, as if it was extremely hot, and a trickle of steam was coming out of a massive cannon replacing his left hand. Between toughly armored arms there was translucent luminous space where you could see indistinctly a small head, as if a skull levitated there on its own. Surrounded by continuously moving heat waves similar to sunspots, it looked as if it were on fire. A bass inhuman machine-like voice was coming out of the synthesizer in a seemingly natural, but extremely neutral intonation.

Light emanating from a wall of screens showing muted television reports and economic news from around the world, threw a blue glare on the black and dark-blue uniforms of officers of the Apocalypse. They marched out one after another, having given due honors, while behind the armed figure of unshakeably standing Holocaust, Abyss was leaning against the control panel rocking to the music in his head and hummed: _"... and what about NATO? NATO __did__ nothing!"_1 His joy seemed odd in contrast with the silence of the second Horseman; when the door was shut, inside of the echo-carrying spherical room, only his voice and a relentless faintest sound of hot liquids moving within the luminous thick armor were heard.

– Even the financial markets have reacted more strongly – mocked amused Abyss, indicating with a spring-like extended hand one of the screens situated high above himself.

– It was to be expected that everyone chickens out – answered the dispassionate voice and Holocaust turned in the direction of his interlocutor.

Those of the displays, which were not showing the same statistical data, all presented aerial shots of the smoking ruins, not necessarily Genosha, alternatively with faces of presenters and world leaders making speeches. Most of them terrified by the complete and sudden destruction of Albany in just one burst of energy, as well as by the rapid, unexpected takeover of Genosha, did not intend to oppose the political changes in the island country. In the blink of an eye, along with the placement of Cortez on the leading position under the direct control of Abyss, Genosha became a militarily country.

– They still believe that the Albany mess is our doing – the black Horseman bared his pointy fangs in a smile.

The thin tail being an extension of his blue hair of was moving in the air like a snake, arbitrarily, as if it had at least a bone base.

– Yes... your red rocket does it with a flourish – said Holocaust, though because of his robotic voice you could think that he meant a missile. – Where do you have her now?

– I don't keep my women in one place– Abyss shrugged his shoulders and pushed a red button, the biggest on the panel. He thought that for full cartoonness it was missing just a writing saying 'self-destruct'. All the monitors went out. He sighed theatrically.

– Again she flew away somewhere.

– Have it never crossed your mind that maybe she could be dangerous with all this exploding?

It was now dark, the lighting was limited to parallel stripes of blue neon lights on the spherical wall, but this was no obstacle for the Horsemen who were emitting their own light.

– Yeah, crossed my mind, you know – Abyss sat on a swivel chair with a teasing smile.

His behavior, so alien to Holocaust, to remind of youthful vitality and brisk personality characteristic for it. Despite the gloomy form, Nils Styger remained the youngest of the Horsemen, whom his superiors back in the New Zealand air force considered unready for the position of an officer.

– From my point of view, this creature smacks of strangeness – said Holocaust finally, when he could not get from his companion anything more than his ear-to-ear smile. – Do you know anything about her?

– Not much – Abyss began to rock on the chair, as his black form was giving him an excess of energy. He pretended to get dreamy. – You know that it was when I went to check out these charred remains. She appeared from somewhere, walking straight in my direction in impatient haste, as if she had been looking for signs of life for long. She put on the face of a sex bomb and even tried to move in such a way, but at the same time she was quite weak and tangled her feet when walking on the uneven mass of rubble. "I am Phoenix!", she says to me – Abyss simulated an exaggerated raised tone and put his hands up bombastically. – I watched partly with disbelief, and partly she almost made me laugh of how she was failing at this role. Then she suddenly cringed, started to cry and began with a stream of words to plead, apologize, ask and explain without any order. All of this went down to that she wants to go home, wherever it was. As you see, I couldn't do but fall in love.

– I'm not a specialist on women– replied Holocaust indifferently – but she is not normal. Just like your schizophrenic girl, whom Sinister finished off.

– I know – Abyss muttered reluctantly. – Mediocrity doesn't appeal to me.

– Neither it does to me – echoed the Holocaust, as he could say about anything else.

He was chosen the son of Apocalypse, the favorite, which was to become a perfect tool. Indeed, he was very good; he used to fight so much that one once he got mortally wounded. The degenerate biologist, Mr Sinister, was appointed to create for him an indestructible exoskeleton keeping him alive and at the same time increasing even more his considerable combat skills.

Despite his will, in relation to the wishes of Apocalypse he could not keep his earlier nickname 'Nemesis', which, although repulsive, was burdened with fewer negative cultural connotations than 'Holocaust'. For centuries of life full of physical injuries he could not keep the stability of the mind, including memory, therefore while not remembering his true name he chose it to be 'Nemesis'. The impersonal life drugged incredibly to him.

– Don't be gloomy, we'll cheer you up – Abyss said, rising to his feet softly. He did not care about the protests and pushed Holocaust towards the door. – Still a lot of time before the depart, we've got enough time to hit the town. Hah, I forgot I've conquered it! It will be confidential then.

When the Horsemen were getting out, groups scattered, corridors went deserted, creating the impression of expansion of earlier cozy space. Nobody wanted to stand in the way of the striding Horsemen, not so much due to respect as to their reluctance towards their inhuman appearance and suspicion as to what they would be capable of, even if the latter were not to be justified. Holocaust in the minds of the troops was practically Apocalypse – he was his chosen one because of the similarity, and the latter has never been seen. While Apocalypse was the idea of the survival of the fittest, his 'son' was its embodiment to them. In turn, about Abyss it was only known that he comes from another dimension and he supposedly represents only a small version of something much worse known as 'his father'.

They were alone, they left the government complex and were alone when they walked through the streets of the capital, despite the fact that people were no longer forced to stay in the residential area. Since his 'scary' image was no longer needed, Abyss let his body go back to normal. He diminished, his black ribs ceased to reach forward like some soft sticks and in a moment he was only a slim blue-skinned man in his twenties. Exceptionally smooth dark blue hair formed a lock in front of his face, which would normally be obtainable on gel, it was nothing uncommon, however, to a part–shapeshifter. As to the face he was handsome, despite slightly alien features, such as of shortly cut nose, as if it had no cartilage, but he was unable to look any more normal.

Abyss insisted on one of the cafes. Nemesis stood outside at the curb side like a parked vehicle, while his friend was looking for some assistants underneath of the bars. He eventually found one, all stiff with seriousness, when she was delegated forward and after a while he was putting cups of ice-cream on a round table in front of the premises, pushing previously adjacent tables to the sides. He was too tall for the supports of a wooden tabletop not to hinder with his knees, so as usual he slid slightly down from the chair casually. Even if the chair could withstand the mass of Holocaust, it was still ridiculously short and besides, the armor's back armor were arced, not created in the mapping of the human spine curvature.

Abyss tried to keep him focused on the conversation, while he was trying to performing close to the table something which would resemble a rest. Sitting on the ground was out of the question because of the length of the left-hand-cannon, so as far as it allowed him, he used the legs shortening knobs.

Fore some time Nils has been eating dessert in silence with his pointy tongue, looking at the still armor, before which ice cream melted in the cup. It did not take him long; after pushing an empty glass away he had the enclosed spoon in his mouth and finally crunching was heard.

– I always wonder how you do it.

– I replace part of them into molars – Abyss replied with half of his mouth.

– But still. Metal. You need to stop stress eating spoons and poles. It's no wonder that everyone immediately knows who's the Horseman of Famine.

– It started in my childhood when I used to bite counter top edges when I was anxious. You'd be doing the same thing, trust me. It's like saltsticks: you don't want them, as long as you don't try, but then you keep taking one after another. At least I am not the PLAGUE of the company.

– Two heads are better than one, they say – added Nemesis, thinking about the duplicating Horseman of Pestilence. His dessert was now pinkish–brown slush, in which pieces of fruit were floating.

–...and recently we got ourselves one more – said Abyss quickly to pull his gaze away from there.

– Yes, the guts for a new weapon project. Sinister has his hands full lately.

– This is a cheyarafim, an angel, I tell you – added Nils, wrinkling his nose. – I bet he's a shitheel. Us, devils, we'd...

– Nils– interjected Holocaust disregarding the fact that the was interrupting. – You're good at penetrating dimensions, absorption of things and stuff like that. Will you do something for me?

– Damn Good – Abyss straightened proudly, at the same time as tip of the teaspoon disappeared in his mouth. – Whatever you want there.

– Think of something and kill me.

**8**

When Forge was explaining to Bishop the last details of the technical solutions for concealment of the Blackbird from the eyes and sonar, the team selected to execute the mission already gathered in the cabin of the aircraft.

Just like going back to the tradition, Cyclops was the first inside. He was already buckling the belts of the copilot's seat when Colossus and Shadowcat boarded. In turn Avalanche, coming last, squeezed into the farthest corner, the last seat in the back as much out of the way from the goodie-goodies of the X-Men as possible.

– You're not like yourself these days – Kitty asked, slipping quietly into the cockpit and took a seat next to Scott. – Aren't you glad that Jean was found?

– She has not been found yet – Cyclops replied bitterly, staring emptily to the front. – Of course, I am very grateful to the professor to chose me go after her. – he added after a moment, feeling the girl's compassionate gaze – but it all seems strange to me. Jean walks out of the house one day as just for shopping and does not return for several months. I even started to believe after some time she was never actually kidnapped, that she just left us willingly. No sign of contact and Cerebro unable to detect her presence anywhere. Now suddenly a frail signal appears... who knows if it is really her? So much hope arose, but what if it were a trap...?

Kitty did not know what to say. After all, long-term undetectability by Cerebro most probably signified death. However, she was still truly convinced they were going to meet the right person.

– I think we can trust Psylocke– she said at last– If she says it's Jean...

– Time to launch – they heard from the behind the low and determined voice of Bishop, who peeked into the cockpit.

Kitty nodded, then jumped out of his place on the main pilot seat and moved into the middle of the plane.

– You know the ropes of time journeys and similar maneuvers – she approached him at parting – Can't you go back in time and somehow stop Jean from disappearing in the first place? This could be important.

– Unfortunately, this isn't possible any more – Bishop replied, smiling to himself. – My trip was one-way and as far as I know, my 'friend' Fitzroy settled somewhere in the Middle Ages, where they've taken him for a demigod, and he's now lost to us when it comes to time portals.2

In a moment engines roared familiarly and the Blackbird was lifted above the wilderness hidden in the midst of the ice of Antarctic. Trees faded away below them and declined in the distance, while Cyclops silently prayed that Jean's return does not turn out to be a dream.

**9**

– Well done! – exclaimed Jubilee at the other end of the skatepark, when Morph managed once again to imitate her skateboard trick. She did not expect that besides snowboarding there were any situations in which he ever moved gracefully.

He thanked her and sat down on a bench to rest a little. They were alone in the square, perhaps because today's weather was not the best for a walk. From the south it looked like rain was coming and gray clouds floated across the sky slowly, gathering more and more densely together.

– Can you morph into something cool? – said Jubilee after a moment of silence. – No one's looking.

– Into what, for example? – her own self answered her, sitting on her side, staring at the pavement in front of her.

Jubilee noticed that regardless of the weather, she was again dressed today in a top and pink sunglasses.

– Hey, I don't sit like that – she protested. When the copy corrected her posture, she added – Now it's twisted like catch 22.

– It is difficult to imitate you – Morph said. – You move in a very specific way.

– Yeah, thanks! That doesn't sound too much like a compliment. Try to stand up. Hmm... do I really look like that?3

– You can easily change it if you wish – admitted the second Jubilee and performed several series of poses and gestures, much more confident and natural, than would Morph perform in his normal form. – Simply imagine you are acting and what suits you will become a habit in time.

At the same time at the X-mansion, Gambit looked away from his solitaire game and looked outside the window. He heard something in the air, but it was no plane. However, he did not see anything on the gray skies beyond the light of the sun giving way to a streak of gloom.

– Remy, look! – called Magma from the other end of the living room, pointing to the sky through another window.

Gambit cursed loudly and disregarding that he knocked the card table he jumped from place abruptly and grabbed his coat, ready for immediate departure.

– It can be a problem. I'm going after the kids, you stay and watch the news on television. We're not sure what's up for mutants this time.

– No way, I won't let you go alone! – the girl squealed, jumping toward the door after him. – The professor forbade any of us to go one by one.

Gambit sighed briefly. There was no time for discussion.

– Okay, but tell the Beast to turn on the security system of the X-Mansion.

Huge black silhouettes cast their shadow on the city streets; as they flew over the skatepark, they covered it with black. Both Jubilee and Morph froze in terror at the sight of bulk mechanical Sentinels, their shared nightmare, which was never supposed to come back.4

– Damn! We have to run, they'll kill us! – croaked the girl and she run into the streets of the city.

She led them towards home through the smallest and least accessible streets she knew, only occasionally glancing back to check for Morph; she ran without caring to breathe, focused on observing the sky, watching out for the giant robots.

– Careful, don't go in there! – she heard from behind, but she did not have time to react.

They ran straight into the intersection of three major streets where their eyes laid on a podium with a big screen displaying some speaking figure. It was guarded by several armed guards surrounded by a circle of audience listening in great surprise to the speech, which was played over and over again. In turn they were surrounded by a group of loosely arranged Sentinels.

– ...and this is just a small demonstration of what can happen if mutants will not comply with the registration. Those of you who fail to apply to the program voluntarily will be found and taken by force. Our project is merely to serve administrative classification of mutant citizens of our country in terms of the level of risk they powers may pose. Resistance only indicates ill will and suspicion that the mutants have something to hide. The Mutant Response Division officers will be knocking on every door, so now I am asking you, mutants – are you not willing to remain free citizens of the United States?

– Buu! Down with Kelly! – someone yelled aloud from the middle of the crowd. Jubilee and Morph could not see who it was exactly.

– Kelly, go home! – shouted someone else jumping on the stage.

An uproar sparked in the crowd and people tried to flee at the sight of this person, when they have took off their disguise and turned out to be a very deformed animal-like mutant.

A woman who chanted the first, also tried to get on the podium and help him in the scuffle with the guards. In another place in the crowd smoke-generating canisters went off. The aggressor threw another, very vulgar slogan about the senator and apparently summoned to herself something which came running from one of the side streets – a four-legged robot. The robot pushed itself through the messy crowd and joined itself with the woman's back, giving her a kind of tentacles. With its help, the woman raised herself above the crowd and climbed onto the podium.

All of this happened in just half a minute, during which the group of Sentinels which were earlier standing on guard had been activated. It only allowed them to better fulfill their role to threaten. In the background, robots' voices were notifying about decisions of extermination and their hands fired laser beam missiles. Jubilee did not know which way she could take to get out of here; shards of glass and brick of accidentally destroyed buildings were scattering across the street intersection, while the two renegade mutants were ruining Senator Kelly's screen platform. The active Sentinels immediately hit them and just one question came to Morph: whether they ever had a chance to survive it. But as he had no time for any action anyway, he pushed Jubilee into the tiny street out of which they have previously ran, realising now they will be robot's first targets, as their data were recorded in their registry since long time ago.

– Gambit, can you hear me? – he exclaimed into the messenger he brought out the inner pocket of his jacket with one hand, all the time pushing Jubilee in the right direction with the other one. – We are arriving at Hornsey Lane, I'll be Sunspot.

As soon as they stopped for a moment and looked around for Gambit, Jubilee saw Morph looking completely different. In the event of a meeting with the Sentinels, he had less chance to be recognized it in the body of an unregistered mutant.

Around them restless people were dispersing chaotically, not knowing whether to hide in buildings that can be destroyed or remain outside, where they could be injured by the aggressors among the passers-by or debris from skyscrapers damaged by Sentinels' projectiles.

Among the crowd someone chanted slogans again, a dense circle of men armed with sticks and flares, wearing uniform berets, scarves covering their faces and with symbols of an eagle on chests. They were not part of the fleeing. Individuals bounced off hard from their group and Jubilee and Morph wanted to find themselves equally away from them, as from the Sentinels slowly reaching them.

– That's what mutants are to the city! Destruction! – one of them shouted through a megaphone.

– Get out of our cities! – echoed others equally, marching with a quick, firm step, trampling or pushing with batons those who were unable to remove themselves out of their way. – The Friends of Humanity screw mutants!

Jubilee began to go insane when they went at them from one side, while on the same time two Sentinels were already piercing through the wall of the buildings behind them. She squealed in panic that it's all over and almost collapsed to the floor, hit by someone on the shoulder, but Morph held her, still scanning the horizon with his eyes and consistently led her between people.

At one point, he saw the radiant fiery silhouette of Magma, who waved to them when running from afar, accompanied by Gambit. The two rushed again to escape in that direction. The most important thing to was to get together, so they may have the best chance.

It turned out that all of the urban confusion was to the benefit of a third party at the same time. While the sudden entry of Sentinels attracted all the attention, someone landed on the outskirts of the city.

A winged figure left the aircraft and looked around, scanning the area. Not more than several minutes have passed, when they reached for the communicator:

– Fire – an order sounded and from between the wings sped a luminous flare, which dived towards the only buildings in the area.

Homing missiles released by the aircraft followed its heat directly in between the buildings of North Salem power plant. On the streets of the city Gambit and Magma could only look back, when an explosion shone in the distance.5

In one moment all the equipment in the X-Mansion went out. Beast, who as usual was in his laboratory, stayed by the only lamp still lit and a computer, which were connected to an external battery. Without thinking twice he left his task and stood up, listening intently. There was a complete silence, except for the buzz of a light bulb behind him. When he looked out into the hallway, he saw nothing, however, with a light source behind him he would be very visible, so he turned it off quickly. He did not think it was an ordinary power outage, because they almost never occurred in this area and especially not in such a special time like departure of the majority of the group and the absence at the Mansion of several of the X-Men, who remained here assigned any caution was justified.

Beast slowly crept toward the main corridor, just in case climbing onto the walls and ceiling. He was slowly beginning to see better in the dark, although the farther he moved, the farther it was to the windows and eye adaptation ceased to help. Among the deep silence it seemed to him that he heard distant noises, but rationally he knew these were projections of his own mind in response to the lack of stimuli. The only person who remained in the building apart from him was Psylocke, who has recently been still hanging around the basement near Cerebro and Danger Room. He now had to get to the elevator and join her.

He was already approaching the main hall when he heard a rustle from behind – it was somebody's clothes. In just a second, when he was turned around and preparing himself to jump, he felt a strong blow in the head. Someone reached him up here, on the ceiling! He collapsed to the floor with a thump, unable to move, yet without losing consciousness because of his high physical resistance. He expected, however, that in a moment he will get a 'correction' anyway from the dark mountain of muscles, who has grown in the darkness just beside him. He had every right to now curse the step-silencing carpets, which lined the mansion's corridors and which made it as easy to sneak silently in here... He still heard a foreign word whispered with a female voice from another side, before a big fist stunned him for good.

Under the night sky, yellowish from the light of explosions and Sentinel lasers in the remote city, the X-Mansion became cloaked in darkness and silence. Completely darkened room could scare with a dangerous mystery. Hearing and telepathy were now replacing vision to Psylocke, who crept along the underground corridor along the nooks and corners of the ceiling. Mild sound of footsteps carried among the metal walls, as some persons were moving on with confidence. She concluded that it was due to their impression that they are alone in here as well as to orientation with the use of nightvision goggles. They headed towards Cerebro for certain. She followed them, although she did not want to risk by approaching too much. They would never manage to break the access code, so they must have had something special at hand. Apparently they had, because she was startled when something hissed awfully, like in an amplification of the sound of acid burning through, although, surprisingly, no peculiar smell which could indicate a chemical reaction reached her.

Some time passed in silence, then someone probably got tired of hacking Cerebro. Psylocke took advantage of it and lurked over one of the door arches, behind which she could stay unseen even in the light. With the help of telepathy she counted how many people could be there and tried to deduce their location. She was lucky, because someone standing closest to her lit a torch – from the height she determined they are standing just a few meters down the hall and taking away the nightvision goggles to put into their ear some communication device.

– We've encountered problems – he said, Psylocke had to admit that with a really melodious voice. – We cannot get to the protocols.

Much less she had heard from the answer coming from the little plastic speaker of the communicator. She knew what it said mainly because she knew what it could be and filled in the missing words: in order to run the Xavier Protocols, close presence of specific X-Men required. They were to destroy the machinery then. She could have guessed this was going to happen. Just how to eliminate them all at once, when it would be enough for them just to turn off the flashlight to make her lose orientation?

Psylocke never wondered for a long time. The ninja part of her soul she obtained with the acquisition of the body after Kwannon told her most accurately what to do. When that soldier turned to his group, she quickly lit up her psionic dagger in her hand and jumped at him, thrusting the pink glowing weapon in his spinal cord. It came to her that she had just knocked out a tall handsome guy in the mean way, but at the same she also caused a series of clicks of gun magazines being loaded. The small flashlight that just rolled across the floor, threw a faint light on the barrels pointed at her as well as on the assailants in black uniforms and goggles. Psylocke immediately threw herself sideways in a somersault, avoiding the first bullets and in response she sent overwhelming telepathic waves in the direction of one of the opponents. It was then when their thought stroke her, in the content of which she sensed the person of Angel. The injection of adrenaline associated with this allowed her to jump as she were scalded in yet another direction in the next dodge.

At the same moment someone shouted a few words in a language incomprehensible to her and one of the women dissolved into a misty shape, which leaped in the direction of Psylocke and went back to the human form behind her back. She felt she was punched by her, after which she slightly staggered and then got hit by bullets in two places. She did not let them sweep her off her feet and treated another one of them with a mental blast, after which she felt, however, she can no longer move, being squeezed in half by a green force field. On the arm and around the collarbone she could feel the warmth of blood flowing, but she could not feel any stronger pain in her wounds yet. She struggled, unsuccessfully trying to free herself from the clutch of the transparent fist. Then she heard again the same commanding voice than earlier and despite the fact that scotoma began to obscure her eyes due to the effort and loss of blood, she saw a hand reaching out for her.

A rough glove touched her face and exactly at the same time a powerful lightning of feelings pierced Psylocke, a perverted mixture of pleasure and enthusiasm together with a strong sadness and frantic anger drilled though her mind in a disturbingly familiar way. She heard her own scream in the distance and a moment later there was nothing else in this world for her than an infernal headache.

Psylocke regained consciousness only on board of a vehicle, judging by the slight trembling of the ground, with the impression that she was made solely of the right shoulder tormented by pain and a cracking skull. She noted finally, that she is tied to a seat, though even without that she could not move a single finger back then. Her body went completely numb by staying in tight bondage. There were no longer any bullets in her wounds, but they remained undressed. She fidgeted strongly in place. Worst of all was for her to realise that at the moment the X-Mansion is most probably razed to the ground, and Beast buried in the rubble, along with Cerebro. She was now situated among stacked up supply boxes in a hopeless transport room, driven no one knows where. She did what she could in her position to defend the X-Mansion; now she had to assume that one defeat is one too many, and now her task is to at least pull Angel out of any distress in which he got there on Genosha. She mostly regretted she was not good enough of a telepath to know the accurate content of thoughts of that one, from whom she heard about him. Since somebody decided to take her alive, it would not be wrong to benefit from this and penetrate further. Who knows, maybe she would live long enough so that Gambit could let the X-Men know about her fate and send help?6

A few hours have passed her on listening to the engines humming behind the walls and being stuck in uncomfortable stillness. From time to time the vehicle vibrated and containers rand along with their contents. Finally, through a narrow gap under the door to her room a cloud of mist entered, extended to the floor and assumed a female figure next to Psylocke. The newcomer reached for a can of carbonated beverage from one of the containers, when she noticed the prisoner's eyes were open. She gave a sigh of surprise and although she did not speak to her at all, she left the room normally, through the door, and behind them said:

– She woke up, as if it mattered.

Apparently, the message had not provoked any particular revelation, as it was only after about a quarter that Psylocke saw someone in the doorway. He did not seem overjoyed to see her. It was the tall brown-haired man, whom she knocked out first back in the X-Mansion. Apart from that he was a bit pale, probably regained consciousness at a similar time as her, one could compare him to one's favorite actor and he would be just as handsome.

– Well, look who's got a temper there – he said with a sneer, then disappeared back in that room with a glass of water raised to his lips.

Psylocke realized that she had had a very fierce expression. Since he had closed the door, she saw no one else until the landing, as it later turned out, on Genosha.

* * *

1 Original: _„…a co na to NATO? NATO na to nic!', ie. 'and what NATO did/said about it? NATO did nothing' – _a word game, playfully absurd in the original song by Pogodno.

2 Fitzroy became my Baldur's Gate II character, this crossover appears on both sides of fanfictions.

3 The idea came out of the bizarre posture of Jubilee in the 'X-men Legends I' game.

4 According to the 90's Animated Series, Jubilee was chased and captured two times by the Sentinels, Morph was 'killed' by them (Mr Sinister awoke him from clinical death).

5 The idea of Gambit as a leader is a motive from 'Gambit & the X-ternals' series from the Apocalypse times. Mutants destroying the podium belong to a criminal organisation from the 'world' of Spiderman, called 'S64' – Lady Octopus (canon) and Talon (OC).

6 The Psylocke of this story is a mediocre telepath and a very agile fighter (sneaking, psionic katana, psionic daggers or missiles). In this version she has no future predicting skills, nor telekinesis (we don't like overpower!), without which she cannot untie herself.


	4. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapters 10-11

**10**

Genosha was not a pretty city at all. Leaning on the railing, Abyss wondered why this terrace had ever been included in the design. The view from the floor of the House in the main government building was almost exclusively over other components of the complex of a grim, uncomplicated architecture. One might even find that they were all copies of one block, only turned by different angles around the vertical axis. Despite the fact that Abyss was a minimalist, he had specific requirements of his environment, which were not met by this island, overburdened by the city and flooded in burning sun.1 Even simplicity had to have the thing in it. There was nothing of elegance in this former American edition of a gulag, the would–be paradise of Magneto. He did not care that some buildings have fallen here, nor that remains of boats and military aircraft sank in the waters.

He came here before the meeting time only to enjoy taking a look from the terrace, but now he felt disgusted by the metropolis, which has not left a shred of space for nature. Some palm trees protruding here and there from the cliffs were nothing compared to the beaches of New Zealand he used to visit everyday. He was afraid that one day the same fate reaches his country, that the bawdy paw of urbanization pushes the remaining enclaves of nature into oblivion. He used to complain that Hector's dolphin has almost been killed out. But how infinitely harder it was to let go of everything that were beauty and were slipping through the fingers.

He realized that every century people cry just in the same way over the destruction of places they would like to keep forever and over the passing of their good times. They even grudge every ten years of the lives of their bodies, although they could have made them richer and wiser. He had a feeling he cannot be right not to accept transience.

After all, such sentiment was in conflict with what he has always wanted to do and was doing now, that is, to change the world. He boasted that in contrast to those who limited themselves to painting of an 'A' in a circle he took part in a real attack on the system of the world. Tardiness resulting from long-term invariant and excessively favourable conditions changes people into consumer pigs. Therefore he was doing them a favour by spreading anarchy, where the care for one's own quality was motivated by the will to survive. He was excited by a situation in which one could actively influence their own destiny. Handing the world over into the hands of Apocalypse – something huge and uncontrollable in the hands of a single entity – was for him the same as giving it to nobody, as a complete release. Apocalypse was an idea, a god known in advance not to exist. A situation that one must accepted from the start and then take full responsibility for the reality.

The only thing Nils felt obliged to was to provide the best possible living conditions for his family. This was due to the ideology of his race, the neyaphem, instilled in him by his father, which held no interest in the ways in which this objective is achieved. It was not the matter of attention, whether the rest of the world is burning, as long as they were happy. Therefore, until he was assigned control over Australia and Oceania, he constantly kept an eye on his close ones.

Getting bored waiting, he thought of his brother and whether his mutant power could be used to force the security of Holocaust's armour. Kiwi Black knew all about human physiology, but in terms of physics he did not necessarily have enough discernment to figure out and respond to the mutant-power-blocking surface of the innovative exoskeleton. Mr. Sinister was frighteningly good in his field.

Apart from the oppressive weather, the terrace had nothing more to offer Abyss, so he happily went back inside when the scheduled time of the meeting with the Horseman of Death arrived. He entered the air-conditioned room feeling a relief, which helped him a little bit in overcoming his pre-established dislike towards the newcomer.

Irritated by the slow lifting of the mechanical gate, Archangel appeared to him with a capricious face.

– I did what I were to do – he declared, getting closer to the centre of the room and the light fell onto his silhouette from the tall narrow windows, the farther up, the dirtier. – Let's get right to the point.

– I am also honoured to know you – grunted Abyss in response, already regretting he did not assume the black form in which people happened to respect him more.

Despite of its appearance, it was their first meeting in person.

– You sent for me, my lord – someone else who came together with Archangel reminded of himself.

– Ah yes, Cortez. Well, I will be needing you – Abyss replied, still unable to get used to be addressed this way by someone older than him.

He gestured to both of them to sit down. He took place last, vis-a-vis.

– According to the plan, Cerebro was destroyed – commenced the Horseman of Death. The ends of his considerable-sized metal wings have had to fold inside, but nonetheless they already begun to cut the back of the seat. – By the way a couple of X-Men were eliminated. As for the Xavier Protocols, Apocalypse may forget about them, just like I've said before. For now, I give you the Acolytes and go back to the case of Africa. And you, try not to screw things up when Magneto comes after what seemed to him to be his for a moment. Is it clear?

Nils clenched his teeth with hatred and only the presence of Cortez – who were now staying completely professionally neutral – did not let him talk back. The cursed angel, although he just joined the army of the Apocalypse he was in a better position, of a temporary favourite, the latest battle invention. What is more, in the history of the dimension of his father, one of the diabolical lords, creatures such as the winged clown here regularly murdered members of his kind under the curtain of a bogus ideology of ' the good and purification'.

As to Archangel, until recently an X-Man and an ordinary mutant, he did not have to be a real cheyarafim, or even know about it in case he were one. It was enough to him that he felt at this point the opportunity for an easy malice and gladly took the opportunity to release aggression, which built up in him as a result of biological modification by Sinister. In addition it was favoured by the incidental fact that as a result of his metamorphosis his skin changed colour into blue, which, next to red, was the typical colour of the neyaphem and the cheyarafim.

– I will be ready – assured Abyss proudly and when straightening he elegantly folded his hands under his chin, deciding to take advantage of the fact that, after all, he is the boss here. – You can go. Probably you will be of more benefit to Apocalypse in Africa; according to what you have pointed out yourself, your role here is over. Now I have to discuss political details with Cortez.

On the one hand Archangel had nothing against leaving immediately into the open air, where he could stretch his wings, and where no low corridor ceilings enclosed him from the top, but he felt compelled to show at least a bit of dissatisfaction with Abyss' words.

– I was in a hurry anyway – he said and stood up. Beside him, Cortez looked back at a bit of the back his chair falling on the floor. – Remember that it is very important to recover Quicksilver and to make sure he does not get away this time.

– I got this. Apocalypse will stay informed – confirmed Abyss, following with his eyes the Horseman entering the terrace and soaring into the air.

Death's wings were impressive, but according to Nils it could not be said about the rest of the blue and pink costume. He could explain it to himself only that nothing normal could match with the designs of Sinister.

– I am listening then – he picked up again when he went back with his thoughts to the essence of the matter. – I've heard you have a proposal for the composition of the new parliament. Secondly, I want to know how you are planning to take control over all the furious citizens of Genosha?

He liked working with Cortez. He knew what he wanted to do and was able to bring it about. Besides, he did not seem completely alien to him, reminding a standard friend of his father's, whose image he remembered from early childhood. On the other hand, he did not remember what he could not understand at that age, that is that Azazel, who passed in this world as a German investor, stayed in contact mainly with corrupt politicians and suspicious stock market sharks. Otherwise it would not be so easy for him to buy himself an island.

– Mastery over people is a difficult art, my lord – told Cortez, smiling only with a half of his lips. It seemed as he were playing with the speech, prolonging each word according to his will. – One should start from self-control. In our situation, decent treatment the top priority. The last thing we need is to give them power in their hands. Passions, such as lust for revenge, are the biggest dangers.

Abyss was sure everything was going to go just well. No one will be able to touch Genosha until they are here with Cortez, and then it will be only a matter of time when their influence will spread to the continents.

**11**

Anne-Marie was about to throw away a duvet cover, on which there were a few yellowed spots of blood. She mused when she picked up one of the white feathers entangled in the material.

– It's probably not the pillow who's murdered the duvet?

She was startled, as she did not hear Chrome coming from behind. While waiting for the repair of her own, she shared his room since the X-men scout fell into her room through the roof. It was also since then that she could not stop thinking about that winged blonde, whom she only came to know by name. She let Chrome cuddle her only because of the grief that she sensed in his voice.

– Allen – she whispered. – Are you not to watch over the X-woman now?

– Amelia took over – he answered reluctantly and then picked up again – Are you still thinking of that spy? You know well he exists no more.

– He doesn't exist... – repeated Anne-Marie and was silent a moment, wondering how to put into words what has long been in her heart. – ...even if he never existed – she added very quietly – I prefer it this way.

– What... what are you trying to tell me? – he pulled away from her and looked at her in such a way that as she rushed to look to the side.

She did not want to see the pain inflicted by her in the eyes of the one many envied her of, who always cared a lot about her, but whom she never loved. Chrome was so good for her that she could not free herself from him without bringing the blame on herself. However, there had to come the time when she would cause that piece of evil destined for her.

– I want to be alone – she whispered, closing her eyes. Despite this, she knew that his face was now showing harm caused by the fulfilment of what has long been hanging over him. That the feeling which was not there in the beginning will never appear.

Anne-Marie opened her eyes only when she heard the handle being pushed.

– Well then. I will not stand in your way.

– Please Allen, stay in the garrison. Don't go missing somewhere at night, it's late.

– I'm not going to kill myself, I'm going for the training – he growled painfully, disappearing behind the door.

Anne-Marie hoped that he was really only going swimming, what he did as a profession every other evening, and not that anything stupid comes to his mind. She knew his a bit melodramatic tendencies. But she no longer wanted to stick by his side out of mercy. Something inside her finally thawed.

At the same time in another room, Psylocke hissed in pain as a warm wet cloth touched the outline of her wounds.

– No fidgets or I'll tie back to the chair! – Amelia threatened firmly, setting the patient in the proper position. The experience of a military nurse has cast off all of her remaining delicacy against resisting charges. Personally, she would not mind to stick a wooden peg between the culprit's teeth and not worry about her pain, but this time a unique situation limited her. – I would never be doing this if it Cortez hadn't told me to. He insisted not to leave you there when we were blowing Cerebro up, even though you'd shocked Allen so hard.

– And you in turn treated me like a lady back then – snapped Elizabeth in response.

– That's what I don't care about any more. If it were for me, I would have left you – Amelia admitted formally.

Bandages seemed to know their way by themselves in her hands and in only a few minutes Psylocke's arm was cleaned and dressed. However, due to the hit around the collarbone, the dressing had to catch up on the other side of the neck and go under the arm to lay correctly. The X-man has not had time to protest before Amelia made her wear a loose wool sweater with long sleeves, but not too tight neck and tilted it so that the least of the material laid on the sore shoulder. The sweater smelled of violets.

– Is this yours? – she asked with a little better attitude already. Someone who picked their fragrances well could not be immediately crossed out in her eyes.

– And you thought it were one of the guys who wears pink? Sure it's mine – after such a response from Amelia, Psylocke doubted whether she has any chance make her smile even a little bit. And people were saying it was her who was a grouch.

It was then when Cortez entered the room. Back there, in the basement of the X-Mansion, Psylocke recognised him at once, she could meet very few long-haired redheads with a ponytail in similar circumstances.2 She associated him rather with the purple and red Magneto uniform, but now he was in everyday clothes. Most clearly, however, she remembered the devastating feeling that his mutant power caused – it increased the experiences and powers of others, but usually at the cost of a significant mental overload. It was not a good memory.

– Well, just in time, Romeo – Amelia greeted him, standing aside from her patient. – We were waiting for you for, like, a one whole day.

– Something came up, I had to take care of an island – replied Fabian, apparently accustomed to her way of being.

He did not even seem to really see her, because as if she were not standing in his way at all he looked straight into the eyes of Psylocke. She in turn plunged at once into the sweater because of discomfort. In a woman's unconditional reflex she noted whether her previous or current position did not demonstrate her assets too well, but they did not.

– I guess I'm to leave now – Amelia said with irony bordering disgust, fluttering her eyelids theatrically.

– Out – he responded with amusement and sent her away with a royal gesture.

– I'll kill this guy someday – Amelia grumbled, walking towards the door with her eyes rolled. Just before entering the corridor, she said without even turning her head – Hey, beautiful! The answer is: no!

And she slammed the door. Psylocke wanted to be done already with whatever was going to happen. But she has been told that Fabian was not quite normal. And indeed, instead of saying or doing anything, he sat down in front of her and waited. She even began to notice that he was wearing gloves, that something is embroidered on his black shirt and that his facial hair is of about two days. According to the professional quirk, she subconsciously recognized brand of all the clothing parts; she always noticed that when judging someone.

If it were for her to say the first word, she did not want it to be something in the style of the classical repertoire of outraged ladies in distress, like 'you thought you could get away with it' or 'it's not so easy to break me'. No one spoke for a long time. Psylocke wanted to read his thoughts, to know his intentions directly, except that in her case use of mental powers resulted in a spectrum mask appearing on her face and it was all too evident.

– I've kidnapped myself – she stated, no longer able to watch only smiles askance and drums his fingers on his chair's arm. And he finally spoke:

– If you are kidnapped, there's the door – he explained. Yes, indeed, as is usual in rooms, there was a door. But any idea of leaving started to make sense only when Fabian added – My people will let you pass freely for once, if you so desire.

– Then you're not quite good at formulating your invitations, Cortez – she sighed disturbed, letting her arms drop helplessly.

She knew perfectly that he liked her, as while in the case of all persons involved in the Asteroid M confusion,3 on whom he used his power, whether in support or in the attack, he limited himself to the necessary touch, he forced a kiss on her. Not that she was bashful nor anyhow offended by that, but such silliness was now completely inadequate to the other, more important things on her mind.

– I don't know what you're thinking, but I have my worries. First of all, what the hell have you done with Beast? If he is dead because of you, then I'll make sure you count all the stars. Not to mention the fact that you ruined the aged mansion of the professor.

– Beast was not my idea. Why did you kidnap yourself. It was the Horseman to decide that we're taking him. Apparently he will be of use to Apokalipse, to assist Sinister. We only blew up the Cerebro part. He is not here any more. Why would you ever kidnap yourself for. I don't know where they took him.

– Wait... what? – Psylocke interrupted, wrinkling her nose; it seemed that he was going to speak like that for some time more. Not only that his voice hesitated on the border of crazyness with hoarseness, but also the content of the words began to divert. He had to either do it on purpose, or actually be insane. – Beast, Beast interests me. How to assist Sinister? It could not be better than death.

– But still a little bit better, I guess – added Fabian with ease.

– Besides, I HAVE A GUY and I know you know something about him. That he's here – Elizabeth underlined very clearly, piercing Cortez' eyes with hers to make sure the message has reached his quite dis-balanced mind. – So now you'll tell me where I can find him, or I'll have to find out without permission.

– Probably in southern Africa, but your commitment to the young Worthington had already expired. I'm so much not sorry. What he were no longer exists since he landed on Sinister's workdesk.

– What does that mean? – Psylocke asked instinctively, although those words were enough to make her fell limply on the couch. She knew based on the experience of the former X-Men that no one who ever fell into the hands of this researcher remained 'uncorrected'.

– You can contact him through our network, if it changes anything – Cortez shrugged, though he evidently preferred a negative answer.

– He forgot everything?

– I don't think so, though his character certainly changed.

The woman was left by all the anxiety and anger that temporarily gave her strength and she relaxed her muscles. She felt a new twinge in the shoulder. When she no longer played tough and lowered her head just like now with a bit of sadness, she looked even more beautiful than usual, long straight hair with a slight purple hue partially hid her face.

– Connect me with him – she demanded finally.

* * *

1Genosha is situated on the South-East of Madagaskar, hence in the tropical climate.

2After all, if Shatterstar were dropping by, it would be rather for a cup of tea.

3 In case if the past of the Acolytes of this story were unclear – in general, it was similar as in the cartoon/comic, but as you can see, these characters have survived the fall of the Asteroid thanks to the powers of Chrome and Unuscione, instead of Magneto only, and Cortez returned to the group (which has been a motif in other comics, as they likes do resurect him five times in other series in order to kill after a moment, just like Jean Grey/Phoenix).


	5. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapter 12

**12**

Avalanche was doing everything in his power to bring the group of X-Men close to the government buildings of Genosha. Not only they miraculously have not been targeted and shot down while still in the air, when Bishop realized just in time that they fail to completely hide from the tight anti-aircraft defences of Genosha and landed on Mauritius, which still required a lot of luck, but in addition, their every move on the island required once an identity card, once a transport card, once undergoing a revision. They had to get rid of all the weapons they have brought and leave behind their suspicious specialized costumes in order to blend in with the crowd best. Avalanche never expected to ever be the team's initaited guide. He was the only one of them who had been a resident of the island for a long time and he was best suited to carry out most of the conversations, indicate which way to go to get past the city cams, how to look like a Genoshan... still, the mission would be a failure anyway, if not the ability of Kitty to phase. One could not fail to take Shadowcat on an infiltration mission – Genosha was a space so tightly packed with buildings, so well known to its inhabitants and through its predictability so easy to layout soldier patrols that those could not be avoided in some cases by other means than hiding in a wall.

On one hand, life went on as usual here. People worked and were doing their business, however, the tension caused by political changes could electrify the air. Soldiers and policemen were placed, most of them recruited among the inhabitants of the island. Until new government remained at the stage of formation, it was not known the forcing of what political system to expect from the Apocalypse. A variety of opinions circulated among the islanders, groups ranged from those who considered themselves to be enslaved, to those for whom the conquest of the country's was liberation from Magneto. In such a tense atmosphere of anxiety, the behaviour of the crowd was constantly monitored.

Avalanche was surprised he was still alive when they finally found themselves among the government walls. The day passed them on stealth, excuse fabrication, crawling through alleys, finding a hideout at the last minute and continuous analysis of the interrelated routes of various patrols. He no longer knew what time it could be, in any case, he would no longer call it an evening, but a night. Cyclops continued to carefully calculate changes in the positions of all the enterance guards he could see, and Colossus covered him. Dominikos and Kitty were waiting for the signal. Cyclops pointed the right moment and the two sneaked into the vicinity of another, side entrance to the city counsil building.

Avalanche unsuccessfully swiped a card several times through a card reader on the left side of the door. A small lamp kept lighting up in red – his access codes did not work.

– It was to be expected – said Cyclops, while the other cursed the uselessness of the cards that Magneto created long ago for all members of the Brotherhood. – Since a few of you left the island with the security codes, it must be the first thing Cortez changed.

– I deluded myself that not in all the passages – Dominikos muttered. – So what now?

– As usual – Kitty stepped forward, ready to phase them inside.

– I think not – replied the Greek hesitantly, apparently not accustomed to speak up about plan issues. – Sometimes, if the room is empty and something moves inside without a card swiped at the door a moment before, the alarm goes off. I mean, not everywhere, we can try.

There was no more time for discussions. Cyclops ordered Kitty to take a chance and move them inside, because they started to hear the sound of footsteps of the approaching patrol. Colossus got ready for a sudden defence and a possible counter-attack... but there was no one in the vestibule. The light lit up automatically under the influence of the motion sensor. No alarm rang or at least they could not hear it. They heaved an involuntary sigh of relief, although they had to move on in case the soldiers outside have noticed and were disturbed by the appearance of light in the windows made of awful tinted glass plates.

So they walked into the hallway. The interior was designed for maximum functionality, also showed signs of ongoing renovation. The air contained a hint of dusty smell of paint drying for a few days, while on the doors sometimes there was nothing, sometimes plate markings, informing which department offices were located behind them. They passed by the land surveying department, looking around in the dim light of the only heating up glow-tubes that lit up by themselves with a distinctive puffing when approached. Avalanche knew more or less in which direction was the passage to the building of their interest – the base of the Horseman.

However, not even two minutes managed to pass, when...

– Stop! Who goes there? – carried throughout the corridor, a phrase uttered as automatically as if it were one word.

Apparently, they were not meant to get far without being noticed, as behind the very first corner someone has appeared to face them, coming from behind of one of the side doors. One man. Big almost like two men.

– Lance? – he asked, surprised almost as soon as he pointed the barrel of a gun at them. His eyes immediately skimmed over the other members of the group, whom, however, he failed to recognize without their costumes.

– Delgado... – Avalanche drawled slowly, showing no hostile intentions. – Do not smash me, I only came to get Blob. That's all.

Scott was glad that the soldier was a good few feet away from them, otherwise he could have recognized the characteristic glasses, with which he could not part. As to Kitty, she was completely speachless – the guy was REALLY big. He was so mis-sized that the reminded of a neosurrealisic sculpture: too large for a real man, too small for a statue.1 His features were quite exotic for her, which made them seem almost cartoonish. A strong jaw and prominent chin was adorned by a nicely trimmed beard, thick but just as neat eyebrows could begin to obscure his brown eyes, if he wrinkled his nose – a flat and narrow one, with wide nostrils as on an Aztec mural. He was dressed in a black uniform, in a version that could not be complete, because it exposed his arms, muscled like those of a comic book hero. He was a mulatto, shaved bald, what Kitty would consider him for minus, but aggression which she associated with such a haircut could never be attributed to him. More probably he would be someone who feeds squirrels after his working hours.2

– Whatever are you doing here? As one of those who fled with Magneto, I've been ordered to kill you at sight – he said more quietly in somehow endearing way, lowering the weapon. – Leave without a fight and I will not confess before Cortez that I saw you, man. So it will be best for you.

– I do not entirely have much to say in this matter – Avalanche replied, glancing furtively at Cyclops right next to him.

Before anything could be explained for the benefit of the Brotherhood member, Delgado apparently had bad news for the X-Men.

– Your companions cannot go free in any case – his gun was now aimed straight at Scott's forehead. – I arrest you.

Kitty reacted immediately. She threw herself in his direction to take away or damage his weapon as soon as possible, or at least to direct on herself the shots which would penetrate through her. Her person would only blink before the eyes of Colossus, a second before the minds of all present were hit by a strong of wave of something, like a very low sound, until they felt like time has stopped.

When they regained full consciousness after maybe a second, two X-men and Avalanche stood right where they were before, Kitty was raising up from the floor, while the Acolytes soldier was lying felled on the face next to her. It seemed that now he was not as huge as a moment before.

– Argh, what the hell is going on in here... – mumbled Colossus, who could not believe his eyes for a moment.

– Jean! – cried Cyclops and oblivious to anything already jumped to the person who appeared in the doorway, through which Delgado previously came in, in order to take her in his arms.

The psychic bond that united him with his wife once allowed him to make sure that she, and not anyone else claiming to be her, stood before them now. He kissed and hugged her, she smelled just as beautifully as ever and the touch of her soft chestnut-red hair allowed him to forget the long months of separation. The other X-men also greeted her enthusiastically, but have never seen the black suit she was wearing and which emphasized the attractiveness of her figure, which is usually preferred not to expose. She answered evasively when asked why she came from inside the building.

– I knew you will arrive just today. I have located you telepathically when you become close enough and I was able to find you. We were – Jean corrected herself, smiling a little awkwardly because of this small mistake. – I'm not alone.

– You're finally here – sounded a voice, only catching up with a streak of wind, which whistled past them.

It was Quicksilver, dressed in his silver Brotherhood suit, standing proudly with his platinum blonde hair perfectly combed on styling gel as usual. Just like his father, due to cocking up of his nose he seemed taller than in reality.

– Quickly, we have little time to grab Abyss – Pietro Maximoff as usual bluntly passed straight to the heart of the matter, although at his least sister managed to teach him to stop adding "try to keep up " to each statement.

– Indeed, we can use some help – Scott forced himself for the leadership tone, though most of his attention was still absorbed by the person of Jean and he did not even lift his eyes from her when saying it.

– I'll show you the way – Jean promised and gently disengaged herself from his embrace.

– Wait, what about Blob? – interrupted Avalanche, not giving up. – Don't you happen to know where's he kept?

– Nowhere – Quicksilver snorted, suddenly irritated, as if he was reminded of something bad. – They no longer do hold anybody, but there is still no trace of Lorna – he would hang his voice at this moment, but he spoke far too quickly for it to be noticeable – and besides, for some reason they wanted to keep me, but proved to be too incompetent to prevent my escape. Blob knew it would be you, if anyone, to remind themselves of him. But don't bother. He's got no intention of returning to my father, after he has chosen to cut off the tail behind him, you know, leaving us with everything here. No wonder. The paradox lies in the fact that Genosha is now the safest place in the world because it has already been conquered by the Apocalypse.

Jean nodded at her team members, letting them know that it's time to go and led the way. Shortly before leaving, Avalanche looked back at the fallen figure of Delgado. A thin trickle of blood dribbled from his ear.

Jean Grey led her companions through one of the inconspicuous side passages. The door opened only when she punched in the right code. There were no guards inside, the road lead far straight and up the zig–zag stairs.

– So what are you doing here, Pietro – silence was filled only by the clatter of steps the metal platforms, interrupted by the voice of Colossus – if you think Magneto left you?

– I have no idea why I'm still with the Brotherhood – the asked replied. – Maybe it's that I hate those buców who now rule over my backyard enough.

– Then you know this Abyss guy? – Shadowcat asked curiously.

– I don't personally. But I heard he was an alien snotnose from some island on the end of the world – Quicksilver shrugged his shoulders; two listeners barely kept up with him on the stairs. – They say he's crazy trying to impress Apokalipse and what would help him in this would be my head.3 But in my opinion, they treat him more like cannon fodder, if they set him for us to hit here on Genosha. Because it's obvious that I'll come back for him since he failed to keep me under control. I know enough to kill him without ever meeting him before. Knowing Cortez in person is bad enough.

He bristled at at least a thought about the latter. He was accustomed to the fact that his father favoured the sisters over him, in the end girls need more attention. But he could not get over with the fact that a few years ago Magneto met someone who he thought to make a better successor than his own son. Since Magneto ever let those dirty apes out – "the Workers ", as Genosha slaves used to be called – from behind the bars, he liked only the worst one of the scum.

– By the way, you may need to move that Acolyte of the way before another one of them finds him – thought aloud Colossus – you know how they react to such things.4

– Or what, Voght will bite my head off? – snorted Pietro, although in the case of Amelia it was almost likely. – With Grey we'll be gone faster than they even bat an eye, and even if meet anyone on the way, they won't come out of it alive.

When Jean Grey heard this, she hoped he meant death only in a metaphorical sense. The professor taught the X-Men to get things done in the gentlest possible manner. Now, however, she did not know anything for certain. Maybe after the merger of teams with Magneto completely different rules start to apply? It was hard to figure out how a confrontation with the Horseman could end peacefully.

– We're getting close – she said at last, after a long silence – From now on we have to be careful, we are very close to the parliament hall.

Indeed, she barely finished pronouncing these words, when they left the side corridor and found themselves surrounded by a group of soldiers surprised by the fact that they came out of a secret passage even more than just by their appearance. However, they wasted no time on speculation and attacked the X-Men.

Cyclops took half of them down with the optic beam, the few remaining were deftly disarmed by Kitty. Colossus took care that none of them remained conscious and with the help of Avalanche he tied them to the wall using 'shackles' formed out of the bits that the latter wrenched from the walls. At that time Quicksilver had already traced another door safety joint. Cables led to an adjacent room to where he immediately disappeared to find a suitable computer to unlock the door.

– Hey, do you hear? – The words of Kitty everyone froze for a moment – I think.. it's like someone was shouting.

Indeed, from the direction opposite to that in which Quicksilver sped, someone could be heard. Cyklops without thinking too long pressed the actuator button of an automatic door, of which there was a real plague in this building. When the door opened with a hiss, he did not know what to say. He considered it reasonable to get back a little and give Avalnache access to this tight space.

– PYRO? Damn, that's it – Dominikos' arms were dropping off. This was too much, when it comes to who he had to meet today.

– Argh, stop staring like that... just... turn it OFF! – a short blond well-known to X-men shouted with the remnants of forces. He was connected to some peculiar device. It was not complicated in structure and made the impression that it was custom-made just for him. You could instantly judge that offended him regularly shock, which shouted in pain.

By no means did Avalanche jump towards the machine's switch, he just folded his arms and looked at his long-lost friend with a wry smile he did not even try to resist. That's why Scott sought a button and cut off the power supply.

– We would be grateful for an explanation of what you're doing here – he asked, in a tone not nicer than the first reaction of Avalanche. Jean and Kitty had time to stick their heads in the remaining gap between the door frames to figure out the situation.

– It's not what you think – Pyro sighed, slumping, as far as the machine let him to. – It's not true that I've joined the Apocalypse and then messed up a bit... err, all right... it was something like that – he added when the listeners lifted their eyebrows in disbelief. – Ok, maybe I was working for the Apocalypse's army, but you've got to understand, they paid really well! Only this... Abyss guy locked me up in here because one day I wanted to get an advance. Err... not quite with his permission. But, man, I was going to make up for it, really.

– We should leave you here – Avalanche muttered, unbuckling Pyro's handcuffs.

It was then clearly visible by contrast how skinny the dishevelled blond in red and orange costume could seem. Probably exhausted by many hours of torture in the terrible device, he looked like a dismal mongrel puppy found on the street, although the way his friend set him up against the wall to help him keep vertical position was slightly rougher than the way he would treat a dog. Perhaps there was something he should say.

– Well I'm sorry, mate – the hazel eyes Pyro sparkled. – Anyway they already took the car away.

Avalanche rolled his eyes.

– And I'm sorry I won't hug you. You better tell us something sensible about Abyss, we're about to deal with him.

– What! You must be crazy! – the blond cried, as if he suddenly gained new strength – Running into his hands willingly? You don't know what he can do! He can do... well, everything! He burns with black fire, moves things into a different dimension and is affiliated with devils. Do you think Apocalypse put him on top for no reason? I'm not going there for sure.

– Nobody asked you to go – Cyclops corrected.

– That's good, 'cause I appreciate my head. Abyss is not only damn strong, still twice as much nasty. He's a lousy KIWI, you know? I bet he strapped me here just because I'm Australian – Pyro complained, then began to mimic the New Zealand accent – "I read some of your novel, Allerdyce. A really miserable piece of writing " he said as they were buckling me.

Colossus would be willing to say that he imagined New Zealand almost in Australia, but the countries were apparently separated by some marginal misunderstanding.5 While Avalanche expressed his doubt whether what Pyro writes after hours could be called anything more than the term Abyss had used, he felt that the time passes mercilessly.

– We need to move on – he suggested in a half-questioning tone, looking into the eyes of Jean in search of approval.

Jean Grey did not disappoint him, gesturing to the team to move along the stairs leading down to a huge hall, the entrance to which Quicksilver unsealed.

In there the interior was not encouraging as well. Longitudinal room had a height of two floors and no windows. Scarce lamp lighting allowed only to see the lower part of the maroon trim colonnade against the black, upholstered metal walls. The furthest wall consisted almost entirely of automatic doors, which, when activated, rose with almost majestic slowness.

– Are you sure you'll manage to kill him? – Pyro had the courage only to accompany the rest of the team not further than the half of the great hall. The sight of the gate rising higher and higher deprived him of the remaining will to help. – Just do what you want, I'm out of here.

Cyklops decided for Avalanche to go with him, first of all to make sure that Pyro does not come back running to former bosses, and secondly to prepare a way back for them, as Bishop who was waiting for them outside of the country's border could not do it by himself. And so they split up and the X-men in the company of Quicksilver jumped inside without waiting for the complete opening of the automatic gate.

The Genoshan parliament meeting room was the farthest point of the building in the direction of the capital, lit on three sides by high-to-ceiling narrow windows. Several rows of empty seats surrounded an oval square with a platform designed for speeches like in an amphitheatre. Indeed, Abyss has been waiting there for them, however, he did not welcome them with a previously prepared cynical comment nor with an innate villain speech. The first thing they actually saw was that somehow his hand disappears between the ribs, and a moment later swings and throws something heavy at them. Instinctively they spattered to the sides and the object, which turned out to be a bomb, exploded in a place where they stood just a moment ago, showering them with shards of metal frames and blackening some nearby seats with smoke.6

Cyclops saw that adrenaline immediately recharged Quicksilver, who was crouching close by behind a row of seats, so much that he barely restrained himself from running ahead to the centre. They both were quickly calculating the chances, but just when they jumped out of the cower, they were surprised by seeing Jean even closer to the central square.

She stood erect, as if she forgot about her own defence. She was facing away of her companions and it could be concluded from the movement of her hands and auburn waves of her hair that she rubs her eyes or massages her temple, as if she suddenly got a headache. They could not see the tears gathering in her eyes.

Noticing that the Horseman focuses his attention on her, Cyclops set off at a run in this direction, in order to shield Jean Grey with his body. He glared fiercely at Abyss who dared to look at his woman in a way which was reserved exclusively for him. She hesitantly grabbed the arm of her husband.

– I understand that this is the end, 'Phoenix' – Abyss said then, he sounded careless, although it could not be authentic. He would prefer it to be in other circumstances that he finds out he was only one among the others in the queue for this girl.

Jean lowered her eyes, but from her hand she fired a psionic missile towards the enemy. The Horseman dodged rapidly this one as well as the rain of the other moves of the X-men. It quickly found out that a peculiar force surrounds the black figure, of which only the eyes, hair, and part of the skeleton shone brightly, and the residue of the contour was marked only by the contrast of a total darkness with the real background. It seemed that he controls the gravitational field around himself, because when every physical attack on him was losing strength at the last moment, slowing down almost to zero. Shadowcat watched in horror as the impetuous hit of Colossus turned into a poor touch and he was thrown back, hit with an arm stretching like a spring.

Pieces of wood, metal and glass flew onto the balcony, while the X-men concentrated their forces on attacking Abyss and pierced him through the window. He soon jumped on his feet again, focused and all the light around darkened as if he had absorbed it and the attackers felt that their feet detach from the ground. Shards of materials and even parts of what was secured to walls and floors began to approach Abyss and swirl around him slowly at his will. He threw the X-men violently to the ground and after falling Kitty squealed in pain; she landed directly on fragmented pieces of glass. She had not focused adequately to penetrate through it, not even her costume were protecting her, as she had to get rid of it before they even reached the city. She gathered strength, got up and among the general confusion she went behind Abyss's back. She remembered that often it was her who managed to reach the ones most difficult to hit.

At the exact moment when Jean treated him with strong mental discharges in the form of a pinkish glow, Kitty tightened up and jumped into the middle of a fight. Focused on her goal, she threw herself into Abyss, but according to what she expected, she did not phase through him as through any normal person. She felt a sudden surge of pressure and found herself in a boundless dark space, where small dots like stars twinkled in the distance, and closer and closer a thick cloud of black pulsating waves formed before her, just like the one in which Nightcrawler always appeared and disappeared when teleporting. She barely had time to feel it and she found herself in the parliament hall once again, falling down when thrown aside by Abyss.

She watch the Horseman preventing X-men of even getting close by once again pulleing out a bomb from its interior and increasing gravity around Cyclops just after he threw it at him. The team leader had to break the missile with an optic beam in flight, but the force of the explosion still affected him, knocking to the ground. They were dealing him damage, but not fast enough to win before he beats them.

– I know, I know how to kill him! Pietro! – Kitty cried hoarsely. Quicksilver immediately found himself next to her. – He's got a portal inside him. Only you can manage to hit him fast enough!

Only the wind swept between the fighting, when suddenly something stroke Abyss so hard that he stopped and bent. X-men used this to catch a breath for e a few seconds, while carefully watching the Horseman, whom they encircled. His black figure shown no change, however, blood began to drip on the floor. That was when he probably lost control over his shape, because the bright elements of his silhouette faded out, and the black dispelled. A blue-skinned young man was holding his belly, blood was leaking from under his hand. They did not see his face; with his head down he barely refrained from falling to his knees. But then he took back the monstrous figure and stood up strongly.

'So that's how we play, Magneto spawn?' – he thought, breathing heavily. At least he could do one thing: catch Quicksilver, about whom Apocalypse cared for some reason. The X-men were shocked so much that they jumped back a step when Abyss threw Pietro out of the portal between his movable ribs. Similarly to Shadowcat he could penetrate through objects, but not because he was becoming permeable, but that he gradually took part of the object to his dimension and gave back in its the place as he moved. This time Quicksilver landed on the floor without one leg, which was cut off somewhere around the knee. It was blood everywhere. Kitty's head spun because of this – a terrible cry of pain echoed in her mind, and she had a mass of blood before her eyes.

– Don't you dare! – someone shouted suddenly; this was Jean speaking with a loud and imperious voice, not like her own. She telepathically stopped Cyclops from launching an optic beam at Abyss.

Kitty thought she does not recognize her. Blood pulse thundered in her ears. The image of suffering and gushing red was still attacking her. She no longer had control of herself. She turned to the wall and threw up, it buzzed in her head as she was about to faint, however, she did not give up to this feeling. With a corner of her eye, she saw only through scotoma that Abyss pulls the crippled Quicksilver back into his interior. She wiped her mouth with a sleeve and grabbed the hand of Piotr, who had just approached her, removing already his metal shell. She closed her eyes and ran with him straight ahead through the walls, all shaken by her own steps. She ran without conscience, with the impression that the force of her terror pulls Colossus with her. Moments later, however, when she opened her eyes, it turned out that it was him who lead her, pale and strained, through successive corridors, doors and walls.

She gasped only when they were outside the building, on some terrace. Impact of fresh air allowed her to finally feel better. Her throat was sore from breathing while running and she would probably vomit once again, if that day she had anything more than a sandwich on the plane at dawn.

Emotions managed to fall a little when she found herself in this totally different, peaceful reality. Dominikos asked what happened to her, with sincere concern. And Piotr held her gently to his arm. Further in the background a small air plane was waiting, close to which Pyro wandered about.

Colossus began to relate the situation a while ago to Avalanche, but Kitty who totally failed to notice that someone was speaking, burst out:

– Madness! Barbarism!

Since then paused, closed her eyes and clenched her fists. The men looked at her confused. She would not speak or look into the eyes of anyone until the next day, when they landed at the fortress of Magneto in the Savage Land.

* * *

1 See: Ron Mueck.

2 Let us not forget that common buff of everyone in the X-men, including grandpas and computer geeks is just a style of the comic. Here, greater realism applies in this matter (the same in the case of female „assets"). As to the race – I do like the black version of this character, but I wanted to make him closer to the comic look where he was white, so we've got a compromise.

3 That's what the Age of Apocalypse comics say :)

4 Despite not being on the Asteroid M, Colossus knows, who is who, as he was a member of the Brotherhood for some time.

5 That's what all 'Flight of the concords' is about, but when I was writing this fragment I did not know it was so bad :)

6 The location, as well as the bomb motif is a reference to the game.


	6. X-MEN Age of Apocalypse: Chapter 13-16

**13**

To end up on Sinister's operating table was a little bit better than death. However, even this solution has crossed the mind of Abyss, who was moving very slowly along the wall. He was losing blood at such a rate that he easily calculated how much time he has left in this world, if he does not receive immediate help. The first of the soldiers from outside of the troops defeated by the X-Men who saw him after the battle ran to get someone.

He began to feel dizzy, however, he was still upheld by the spirit of satisfaction with the victory over Quicksilver. He had to admit that this coxcomb Maximoff mortally wounded him in a nasty way, using his dizzying speed to hit his fleshy interior in the smallest fraction of a second before he got inside the portal.1

Abyss was aware that he was chosen among the Horseman as the target of revenge for Magneto, because the loss of him would be the smallest. He did not take it as a negative, because not only he shared this point of view, but he was going to meet this challenge and prove his worth. It would be probably a lot easier to do when staying alive.

He stopped and leaned back against the wall. Reason, which has so far ordered him to crawl in the direction of help at all means, strangely faded and a sleepy bliss overcame the boy. He was no longer noticing how much time passed before a team of medics came running and took him. He ceased to care about what happens to him and where they were taking him; his thoughts occupied all his mind, because he only had this much consciousness left.

If only his mother, Mystique, was not the bitch she actually was, she could teach him how to synthesize healthy organs inside him, which was the ability that let her live almost a century in the state of an ideal body. That will not happen. If only meiosis had not forced her, she would never give him even half the copy of her features, which created him. He was not well trained at the partial shape-shifting, which accounted for a part of the copy. On the one hand, there was no one to teach him, but on the other hand, it depended a lot on his own reluctance to follow the woman. He was raised by the New Zealand mistress of his father together with their common son. He remembered how he promised them when entering the army that he would not let himself be killed in a plane. At least he did not lie.

When he regained consciousness, he felt that he was lying in a white hospital bed, and a lamp embedded in the ceiling shone in his eyes. Every one in three square segments contained a bulb. He turned his head sideways to look around. With carelessness absurd in this situation he thought that Hayley – as he called the adoptive mother – will be worried, like when he broke his arm at school again or someone slit his nose during a fight. After the moment, however, he came back on Earth with his mind and specifically the Army of the Apocalypse, because right next to his bed he recognized Sinister.

'A little better than death' – he thought to himself.

Even he could not help but associate the burly person of the red-eyed eccentric of skin glossy like silver with the unfamiliar. When the scientist noticed that Abyss wakes up, he spoke bluntly:

– How much do you have to offer in exchange for my good will?

The Horseman swallowed hard; despite the fact that he was a devil, he felt like he just established contact with an entity of a still higher degree when it comes to pacts. He knew that if he fails to come up with something that would really interest Sinister, he will not waste a second of his of his tight schedule on rescuing him. All in all, the test subjects had to be forged while they were still warm and just an incredible benefit could reward a temporary subsidence.

– You have a truly unique family – Sinister said among the silence with his characteristic cold cynicism, which got Abyss even paler, if it was still possible.

Ever since he met this man in the Apocalypse, he promised himself a thousand times never to ask him for anything. He recognized that due to a combination of extraterrestrial skills of the father and expert shapeshifting of the mother, they came as an intriguing case of a gene pool on Sinister's wish list. For Abyss, for whom family was actually the only real value, there was no worse nightmare than putting its fate in the hands of a psychopath. Starting from the actions of the changes in him, he could even want to get his youngest sister... a child's mind welcomed was the easiest to adapt to any modifications.

The answer was obvious, but in his stupid weakness he wanted to live. He made a choice.

**14**

Resigned Psylocke was leaning on the window and watching the nightly panorama of Genosha. A delicate pink ray shimmered around her eyes and temples, when she was listening passively and without no attention to the mixed thoughts of people who, unaware of that, were walking by down the street a few floors below. She looked indifferent and cold as ice, but inside she was crying.

It would seem that only a moment ago, when flirting with Fabian she was thinking how trenchantly she will deal with Warren, how she will reproach him for how she devoted herself to save him and what a loser he turned out to be by allowing himself to be caught. It turned out, however, that when she finally managed to contact him on the phone in Africa, he no longer resembled the polite boy from a wealthy family, whom she got used to patronize.

She still had in mind his words exactly in the way he spoke them. He broke up with her with a bang, or one could even say that he just called a spade a spade and described the situation as it has always been. He would not wait forever until she is out of her sulks. He would not remain 'reserved' for her, while she keeps biting his hand every time he tries to touch her. Psylocke could not recover from the shock that her character really was as terrible as people used to say. She noted that she was acting the same when playing with Cortez; using his favour she practically laughed at him, and yet was then pleased with her own eloquence. He could not fail to notice that; he was dealing with her blow when he lowered his eyes – she realised it when thinking back now. Warren did an utterly laudable thing by freeing himself from her. And he was a man with whom she could be for life...

A handle clicked. The woman stopped receiving telepathic signal at the same time and the radiant mask disappeared from her face. She looked back; the legitimate tenant of the room slipped timidly inside, as if she was at home by no means.

– May I? – Anne-Marie asked with a kind of smile difficult to decipher for Psylocke. It still remained on her lips for a moment after. – Sorry if I'm being pushy, but... are you Braddock, Elizabeth Braddock?

It was a combination of sympathy with respect. Psylocke was completely awakened from previous thoughts by surprise.

– Yes... that's me – she replied without conviction in her voice. The fact of recognizing her by strangers usually ended up really variously. It seemed like outside of this reality that one of those who had recently shot and carried her at the end of the world tied to a chair now humbly approaches to collect an autograph. Apparently, even that was possible in here.

Although she tried to stop herself, Anne-Marie gave a muffled squeal of excitement and smiled happily, running closer. Psylocke was unable not to react positively to that and even now the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

– Please forgive us for what was before, we had no idea who you were, besides... you know how it is. We had orders – Cortez said briskly.

Both were probably the same age, although Anne-Marie combined in herself in equal portions soldier austerity and naive delicacy, whose origin Psylocke could not figure out, as well as to understand how both of these features may coexist in one person. Because of that she felt older than her. The girl's hair was a phenomenon in itself – as if it could not decide whether to go from blonde highlights to red or blue, and their tips were brown. Her face adorned not only tiny freckles, barely visible on the tanned skin, but a strange marking in the shape of a half crescent under her left eye. According to the X-man her uniform was effectively hiding all the uniqueness of her figure and one could not say anything about it.

Anne-Marie dragged Psylocke on the only couch and did not stop to peek at her with admiration.

– Braddock is, you are, our role model – she said, carefully pronouncing each sentence, wanting to be sure she is not behaving too boldly. – Unlike all of those conceited bony hangers you had both the body and the personality, so active and strong! Forgive me again, but I'm so happy I met you. I even have one of your sessions on me! Although you probably have stacks of copies yourself...

The soldier reached out for an open suitcase lying against the wall. Judging by the modest, practically hotel-room furniture of the room, it probably contained everything that Anne-Marie had with her in here. Knowing the position of each of the things in her small suitcase with one centimetre precision, without thinking she pulled out a sheaf of papers and magazines tied with a rubber band and came back on the couch. Elizabeth was looking at her thumbing through the pages of one of the newspapers filled with black-and-white photos signed with her name. Her jumping with knives and a ninja mask, her deep in thought with a book among the trees, then her mysterious self among splashing drops of water... she remembered all of these pictures.

– You've been the living Lara Croft, the guys went crazy and the girls were trying to be like you or went green with envy... – Anne-Marie closed and put the magazine down, folding her hands in front of her shyly. – You are very beautiful. I'm not surprised that... you know, Fabian did not want to have you killed.

Psylocke did not know if there was anything else to say that would not sound pretentious, so she said in the end:

– Thank you.

– Sure you hear it from anyone who gets to know you – Anne-Marie smiled, enjoying her company. It would be awesome if they were friends.

Elizabeth wondered.

– Not really. I also hear a lot of different things – she said, wrapping in a vague euphemism some of the reviews of her as a model which did not resemble admiration even a little.

– I'm glad you're staying in my room. I'm Anne-Marie, Fabian's sister – only when she introduced herself did Psylocke realise that she totally does not recall her from Asteroid M. Even if so, the appearance or the way of being would never make her believe that those two were related. – If I knew that Braddock was you, I would have slipped him this magazine sometime by the way, hee, hee. But you do have your prince charming, the third of the Worthingtons, right?

Psylocke sighed. Everyone knew more about a famous person from the newspapers than she did.

– Recently I have found out that I am not the princess worthy of him – she murmured, and Anne-Marie next to her curled up shamefully. – Just when I was getting a plan ready to save his angelic ass, I found out that he is leaving me, because he has met someone else here.

She hung her voice, and Anne-Marie blushed. It would be a cosmically improbable coincidence that she meant exactly the angel who came to her through the roof. He might have been similar to Worthington, but isn't the world full of handsome blonds? Besides, that one could not possibly have wings. Rather not...

–... that's in case you envied – Psylocke ended with a hint of anguish, unaware of Anne-Marie's conjecture.

The member of the Acolytes kept staring at her own shoes. She scolded herself for the momentary bold assumption that there was a chance for friendship with someone like her favourite model. That would be too good.

They were sitting in silence, hiding their sorrows from each other, when at one point the phone rang. A high-pitched ringing seemed overly loud in the silence that reigned just then. After three signals Anne-Marie got up and went to answer the phone.

She heard her name in the receiver.

– Allen? Well, yes, it's me – she replied, in a tone of someone getting ready for something annoying to happen in a moment. – Where are you?

– In the hospital – said the voice in the earpiece, reluctantly and with a hint of haste.

– Come on! What's with you again? – Anne-Marie murmured annoyed.

Psylocke did not want to listen to this conversation which was developing in a bad direction, and was conducted in Spanish to add to it, but devoid of other stimuli in the room from which she could not get out, she had no choice.

– Not me – growled Allen on the other side, stopping the sentence so rapidly that one could almost hear a following curse word he skipped. – It's Delgado. You know there was an attack. I came across him when I returned. It's good you finally answered... will you tell Cortez?

Allen regretted that he remembered only the number to her room.

– My knowledge is his knowledge – she answered him stiffly.

– Then... I'll be here. Waiting.

In her heart Anne-Marie enjoyed the fact that she is staying with Psylocke today. She did not even ask what exactly happened to Marco, she just wanted very much not to see Allen again. She left, saying she will be back soon.

Ellizabeth knew that one of them constantly has an eye on her, though even without this she would not like to get out of here. Actually, there was nowhere to go. On the first day she could get up and go back to all that was before if she wanted. But if that happened, nothing would change; she would still be being cynical in solitude and allowing herself to be adored from afar. It was terrible that for a long period with no emotion whatsoever she had taken a number of multi-stage steps in order to drive Warren away, before she even realized that all this time she really cared for him. She eventually considered it fortunate that now, so late, it finally hurt her. She wanted to see if she was still able in any case to hold herself from performing positive emotions as negative, or even whether she still feels anything positive.

Cortez was not bad. She did not take into account that in his particular case a refusal might mean a bullet in the head. It was nothing as tough as many situations she had already been in. Besides, she was a woman far too down-to-earth to be worried by a supposition.

**15**

In the evening Cortez was finally able to join Chrome in the hospital at Delgado's side. It could be practically considered a rest. It was the last thing on his today's list, actually: the yesterday's, because recently he was not lucky enough to sleep in the context of X-Men's attack on a Horseman and hasty organisation of a new government structure.

– Is there something I should know? – he said immediately, as soon as he went into Delgado's room.

– Hello, nice to see you – Marco answered as naturally as if he had heard a welcome as well among the words of Cortez.

It would seem that he got mistakenly his bunk assigned to him form the paediatric ward. The legs did not show at the other side of the duvet only because it has already been slid down for this purpose, leaving the muscled torso of the Cuban partially uncovered. It was the kind of soldier's chest which could crash weak male egos into pieces and a calendar with picture of which a woman would hang in her room. Delgado nodded in the direction of the chair, inviting Fabian to sit down.

From another corner Allen also welcomed Cortez with a nod. It looked as if he too was eligible for a hospital bed, with his head bowed sadly in extreme fatigue pleading for sleep, for which, however, a continuous migraine did not allow. His all person almost clung to the wall, as he was in a state when every surface would go as a bed.

– No, there is nothing – spoke Delgado, knowing well that the insistent gaze does not intend to go easy on him.

– And something I should not know? – Cortez said, finally turning his gaze towards the window.

After a moment of silence filled with his broad smile, Marco replied:

– Yes.

He smiled on, while Fabian stayed silent in his way, from time to time sweeping the room with watchful eye of an owner. Joints clicked quietly one after the other, when he was cracking his knuckles due to inactivity. He would think for himself; would not want to ask aloud. Their contact was too good for Marco to have to lie to him, but he was the only person he would be willing to spare more questions.

– They're letting me out tomorrow – said Delgado stretching out and the small blanket slipped down even lower. – If Chrome didn't find me in time, who knows what would happen. They had a hell of a good telepath with 'em. Well, rather a hell of an evil one. I used to think Xavier was a diplomat.

– How do you know it was Xavier? – Allen spoke, settling himself better in his chair. – The fact that he used to command them does not mean that now someone else does. Lord Magneto... I mean, Magneto, always told he was a good guy, for the peace and so on.

– Magneto used to say different things – said Delgado, watching for Cortez' reaction in the subject of his former master.

He still could not figure out his current relationship with the self-proclaimed mutant messiah. So far, since the attack on Genosha, Cortez refrained from any statements and his level of self-control allowed him to hide emotions from the companions.

– The puppy lucked out – said Fabian, completely out of the context. Fortunately, the right one was known to Delgado.

– Oh, yeah? Jolly good! I told you it always works – the giant boomed with his characteristic unconcealed, heartfelt joy. Allen disconnected himself, not caring about having no idea what they mean this time. – And in addition, this stray doggie found a home. Well take good care of her, she's a small child, she needs a lot of love. I'm glad, I could not take care of them all...

– ...I know, all the face-punching can be pretty absorbing – Fabian sighed, relaxing the neck muscles and staring at the ceiling. His mind was already somewhere else again.

**16**

Since Anne-Marie split with Fabian, she did not hurry back to the room. Sufficed the very fact that he went there – he said enigmatically that he has something to bring, but she treated it as an obvious subterfuge to bother Psylocke again – and she did not wish to come across them together, even if they were only to talk.

As a sister she would like to know generally what he thinks and whether that girl, not only an unreachable beauty, but even worse: from the enemy camp, gives him any chance. But Fabian could only listen to what Anne-Marie had to say about herself, but it was not like he invited her to participate in his life in turn. She was convinced he would be ashamed to share with her something he cares about. It was as if she could destroy it then or betray him. Because of this she did not want to by chance find herself near him being happy, if he were to mind it.

Recently she had an impression that she no longer cared whether he is happy. Over the last few days she was not much like herself, suddenly becoming progressively insensitive to her friends of the Acolytes. She left Allen and felt only better with it. Some deceptive temptation reminded her about herself. In an English term 'selfless', there was some truth about her. It's someone who does not have themself. She was a good person, but there was something bland in this goodness. She was not Delgado, loved even by accidentally encountered people for his warmth and helpfulness. She was wiped out of everything until the good remained, but then it was somehow forced.

She often thought of herself as a princess in a tower. First, parents were choosing her friends, because the king's little daughter could not play with just anyone. Later stuck in the enclave of a severe school for girls, before he was ever able to finish, she was taken away from by boat to the other hemisphere, where she was forced to mix cement and lay bricks for nearly ten years among a random bunch of degenerates. Forever the closed circles in which it was difficult to breathe. She was not as resourceful as Carmella or level-headed as Lainey, Fabian's girlfriend. The man of her life was her brother; it was him who devised things, delivered speeches, that made people follow him like ducklings after their mother, Anne-Marie was the first of the ducklings. She followed him so close that he could never liberate himself from her for a long time, but she did not have anyone but him. So what that she slept with Allen, when she felt she was being his nanny. In her thoughts she kept crossing out the days spent in her empty tower.

Anne-Marie had never thought she would be to make the first step towards a date, still she just found herself looking for an appropriate room in a government building, where the Horseman of Death was supposed to be. Although now he has suddenly become far superior to her, something special struck her about this blond angel. She heard that he had got on the operating table of Sinister and may be different than when she first met him. If it could be called knowing someone, when he practically had the chance to utter just a few words to her. Fabian only told her to be reasonable, as towards any man, and she considered herself as such. But she survived too much to not be brave at the same time.

She had it all rationally counted. At this hour he came back from Africa, so at that one he was to give his report and will soon set off again to another place. Anne-Marie watched from the distance as the military and politicians in turns leave the tiny conference room in which he had held the meeting. Finally, after a relatively long time af nobody getting out, she considered it an opportune moment to have a peek inside.

The interior was definitely darker than the corridor, as intended for displaying presentations on a piece of white cloth which covered one of the walls. Two rows of neon lights gave a discrete blue lighting, reaching around the room along concave wall segments. Warren Worthington, or Archangel actually, lifted his head from the papers he was reviewing for the last time before looking who's coming. Despite the new skin tone, one could say he has not changed at all since the last time Anne-Marie saw him. Only his wings, soft and feathery back then, were now replaced with angular mechanical implants.

– Am I disturbing? I was wondering if everything was okay – Anne-Marie started, solely because of the sense of a heavy silence, when the Horseman simply left the documents and approached her.

– Your name is Anne-Marie, right? – he answered and meanwhile he did not stop where she would expect him to, but very close to her.

She stepped away from the threshold so that the automatic door could close behind her. She did not want anyone in the corridor to see them here, but that did not seem to bother Archangel. He grabbed her wrists and began to walk back slowly, directing her in this way.

– Everything is in the best order, I feel wonderful in here – he continued, gazing at her girlishly gentle eyes with thick eyelashes, highlighted with eyebrows in a shade darker than her hair. – It is very well that you thought of me, because I was waiting for you.

Before she had time to think that just five minutes ago she was going to invite him timidly for a coffee batting her eyelashes, she could feel a wet kiss on the lips. And another after it, decidedly more greedy than she would expect of him. Surprised, she did not give any sign of opposition when he lifted her easily and firmly planted on the desk. Some pencils accidentally knocked off rolled to the floor and Anne-Marie would not even squeak, although her heart was thumping with excitement, when he unzipped consecutive sliders of her clothes. She wanted this, but the icy sensation in her veins gave her a feel that it all is happening too fast, wrongly. However, there could be nothing worse than to withdraw back to the lone tower.

* * *

1 In the comic, Quicksilver killed Abyss by tearing him apart from the inside. He died in the process as well.


End file.
